What do you think?
Rate this book
Touch the Dead
Eden Sinclair leaves a broken marriage and the Blue Moon Trailer Park in Chicago to search for her missing cousin, Jess, in a Florida coastal community's fluid world of booze, sex, drugs, shady deals, and surfing. For nineteen-year-old Eden, finding answers and someone to trust are as elusive as the shadows lurking beneath the waves. When she makes a connection between Jess and a cold case involving another young woman, Eden lures a merciless killer into her arms to get the evidence she needs to avenge Jess.
350 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2021
81 people are currently reading
1396 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 28, 2021
A refreshing take on the mystery genre. Eden is determined to find out what happened to her cousin Jess who disappeared years ago. We then follow this gumshoe while she tries to put together all the missing pieces. The story then begins to take shape as she learns a little more from eveyone she speaks to, while we learn a little more about her along the way.
June 29, 2021
It’s a rare book that’s profound, moving, and entertaining. TOUCH THE DEAD is all that and more. Set in the seamy underbelly of a Florida beach resort—so viscerally real I felt that I was there—the story chronicles Eden Sinclair’s poignant search for her missing cousin. Her brave struggle to free herself from the ghosts of the past and to find her place in the world was winning. And never easy, as she encounters a number of unsavory characters with ties to her cousin. At times her quest is a lonely one, but Thornton deftly introduces the right balance with Ruth and Raynell, who provided just the warmth, love, and relief needed.
There were plenty of red herrings in this intricate mystery that kept me guessing until the end, and the climax was gripping and satisfying.
Five supernovas for E. S. Thornton—I’ll be thinking about this haunting tale for many years to come.
There were plenty of red herrings in this intricate mystery that kept me guessing until the end, and the climax was gripping and satisfying.
Five supernovas for E. S. Thornton—I’ll be thinking about this haunting tale for many years to come.
September 19, 2021
As a voracious reader and author myself, I can honestly say that E.S. Thornton's Touch the Dead is one of the best books I've read in a long, long time. To name a few reasons I loved this book are unforgettable characters, believable motives for a grisly murder by many plausible, possible suspects, danger, and suspense. Not to mention a fiercely courageous heroine. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop, and literally stayed up all night, finishing at six A.M. the next morning. Among my recent reads are books by some of my favorite authors: John Sandford, J.D. Robb, Steve Berry, and Kathy Reichs. They are now joined by newest favorite, every bit as talented as they are, E.S. Thornton. Bravo, Elle!
Jane Nixon White, Author of The Taming of Corky and The Colonel's Lady: A World War II Memoir, Book I
Jane Nixon White, Author of The Taming of Corky and The Colonel's Lady: A World War II Memoir, Book I
November 1, 2022
This book was a good read. I would recommend it. It really makes you think of who the suspect really is.
I won this book in a Goodreads book giveaway.
I won this book in a Goodreads book giveaway.
Read
January 30, 2022MWSA Review
In Touch the Dead by E.S. Thornton, Eden Sinclair returns to Fox Dunes Lodge on the Florida coast after leaving her home in Illinois. She's exhausted from struggling with a failing marriage while caring for her terminally ill mother Annie. When Annie dies, Eden leaves the Blue Moon Trailer Park for the rundown beach resort in Florida owned by her late grandfather. Eden reminisces about summers with her cousin Jess, Jess’s twin brother Luke, and their friend Johnny. But now everything is different. Luke was killed in combat in the Middle East, and Jess is missing. Eden is determined to find her cousin and is ambivalent about running into Johnny again. Both she and Jess had a summer love with Johnny and thoughts of Johnny still get Eden’s pulse racing.
In her quest to recreate the last weeks before her cousin’s disappearance, Eden uncovers some unsavory, dangerous miscreants within the circle of family and old friends. All might have a reason to want Jess out of the way. Yet Eden believes that her cousin may have wanted to disappear.
Enter McCabe, Luke’s war-time friend. Having promised Luke to help find his sister, McCabe is in Florida to make good on that promise. He befriends Eden, tells her why he has come to Fox Dunes, and fosters a relationship as he teaches Eden to have the confidence to surf. He assures Eden that he has her back and urges her to be careful playing detective.
Touch the Dead is filled with suspense as Eden follows clue after clue while she struggles to free herself from an unhappy past to find her place in the world. Step by step, Eden unravels a seamy tale of drugs, betrayal, and murder with plenty of red herrings in this intricate, complex mystery. With all the revealing pieces of the puzzle in place, Eden finally feels that she has the courage and confidence to sign divorce papers and rebuild a whole new life.
Review by Nancy Panko (January 2022)
In Touch the Dead by E.S. Thornton, Eden Sinclair returns to Fox Dunes Lodge on the Florida coast after leaving her home in Illinois. She's exhausted from struggling with a failing marriage while caring for her terminally ill mother Annie. When Annie dies, Eden leaves the Blue Moon Trailer Park for the rundown beach resort in Florida owned by her late grandfather. Eden reminisces about summers with her cousin Jess, Jess’s twin brother Luke, and their friend Johnny. But now everything is different. Luke was killed in combat in the Middle East, and Jess is missing. Eden is determined to find her cousin and is ambivalent about running into Johnny again. Both she and Jess had a summer love with Johnny and thoughts of Johnny still get Eden’s pulse racing.
In her quest to recreate the last weeks before her cousin’s disappearance, Eden uncovers some unsavory, dangerous miscreants within the circle of family and old friends. All might have a reason to want Jess out of the way. Yet Eden believes that her cousin may have wanted to disappear.
Enter McCabe, Luke’s war-time friend. Having promised Luke to help find his sister, McCabe is in Florida to make good on that promise. He befriends Eden, tells her why he has come to Fox Dunes, and fosters a relationship as he teaches Eden to have the confidence to surf. He assures Eden that he has her back and urges her to be careful playing detective.
Touch the Dead is filled with suspense as Eden follows clue after clue while she struggles to free herself from an unhappy past to find her place in the world. Step by step, Eden unravels a seamy tale of drugs, betrayal, and murder with plenty of red herrings in this intricate, complex mystery. With all the revealing pieces of the puzzle in place, Eden finally feels that she has the courage and confidence to sign divorce papers and rebuild a whole new life.
Review by Nancy Panko (January 2022)
March 28, 2022
Unusual Story
Eden came back to the resort to find out what had caused Jesse, her older sister, who was missing. She met several interesting characters as she tried to learn what . Eventually she is danger as she finds out what happened. The interactions with the characters are interesting, and the results are surprising. The ending is good, but wanted more.
Eden came back to the resort to find out what had caused Jesse, her older sister, who was missing. She met several interesting characters as she tried to learn what . Eventually she is danger as she finds out what happened. The interactions with the characters are interesting, and the results are surprising. The ending is good, but wanted more.
June 12, 2022
Good read
I loved this story. Jess, Eden, Ruth and Raynell touched my heart.
A good keep you guessing mystery to the end. It was a well traveled adventure, though I personally, had to reread some parts to understand them. Might be my ADHD though. LOL
I loved this story. Jess, Eden, Ruth and Raynell touched my heart.
A good keep you guessing mystery to the end. It was a well traveled adventure, though I personally, had to reread some parts to understand them. Might be my ADHD though. LOL
July 7, 2022
I'm used to heart pounding action and puzzles that make me wonder about solutions as they unfold. This book made me feel like I was watching a soap opera. The pace, the personal interactions that go on and on drive me crazy. If you like that sort of structure, this will be a good book for you. If you like action, drive to solve a mystery with pieces logically coming together, this book will be hard focus on.
Except for the occasional flowery description wedged in for some extraneous totally dismissable detail, the book was well written. Maybe because I had trouble with the meandering soap pace, I didn't feel I had a solid description of several characters. This seemed more about a kid, or was she 40?, trying to make a little money while almost backpacking in the backwoods in a Florida swamp area as it was about solving a Jess mystery. But maybe it is your cup of tea, a leisurely pace loaded with talk of which cousin is dating what ski instructor, etc.
Except for the occasional flowery description wedged in for some extraneous totally dismissable detail, the book was well written. Maybe because I had trouble with the meandering soap pace, I didn't feel I had a solid description of several characters. This seemed more about a kid, or was she 40?, trying to make a little money while almost backpacking in the backwoods in a Florida swamp area as it was about solving a Jess mystery. But maybe it is your cup of tea, a leisurely pace loaded with talk of which cousin is dating what ski instructor, etc.
Read
August 25, 2021I received Touch The Dead by E.S. Thornton through a Goodreads giveaway.
The story of Eden’s search for her missing cousin Jess was just too slow moving for me. When basically nothing happens in her search for seventeen chapters I gave up and stopped reading.
I prefer books that move the story along and develops their main character more than this author does.
The story of Eden’s search for her missing cousin Jess was just too slow moving for me. When basically nothing happens in her search for seventeen chapters I gave up and stopped reading.
I prefer books that move the story along and develops their main character more than this author does.
January 3, 2023
I received a copy of the ebook in a Goodreads giveaway.
To be honest I had trouble with this book keeping my attention, I didn’t find it very gripping and it was a little too slow.
I did like the setting and the slow building of suspicion, but I didn’t really care enough about the characters or the mystery.
To be honest I had trouble with this book keeping my attention, I didn’t find it very gripping and it was a little too slow.
I did like the setting and the slow building of suspicion, but I didn’t really care enough about the characters or the mystery.
May 31, 2022
Have to love a happy ending
This is a gritty little tale that leans more towards sadness and well kept family secrets! But it is a good read and you will enjoy all the twists!
This is a gritty little tale that leans more towards sadness and well kept family secrets! But it is a good read and you will enjoy all the twists!
Read
June 3, 2022DNS
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews