DEAD PERFECT Paperback – December 24, 2020

October 16th, 2020, is finally here, publication day! A special congratulations go out to Noelle Holten, author of the Maggie Jamieson Crime Thriller series! Book three, "Dead Perfect," is available NOW! RUN! Trust me when I say you are going to want to read this one!If you read book two, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about when I say that Noelle left her readers begging for more! Picking up "Dead Perfect" was akin to flipping the page, as that is exactly how it starts - right where "Dead Wrong" left off! While all of the books in this series can be read as a standalone, I'd suggest reading them in order for maximum enjoyment!The 'Living Doll Killer.' Boom. Enough said.Okay, but really wow! This may just be the best installment in the series yet. I've enjoyed them all, but there was just something about this one that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I was worried about Dr. Kate Moloney's safety, DC Maggie Jamieson's sanity, and absolutely fascinated by this book's psychological aspects! The 'why' is a huge driving factor here. What could cause someone to kill women and completely change their appearance? To figure that out, you'll have to follow this cast of characters on their hair-raising journey to save one of their own.As with her previous books, Noelle provides her readers with multiple narrations and insights into the story's main and supporting characters. This time around, we're given an even deeper look into Maggie and Kate's lives, their histories, personalities, and relationships, both personal and professional. Maggie definitely toes, if not crosses, the line quite a few times in her efforts to protect Kate. Her team, while mostly understanding, were often at the brunt, receiving end of her struggles. I am hoping that the next installment provides more insight into the lives of Maggie's team. I would love to know DI Rutherford, DS Wright, Bethany, and Kat a little better. Each new book usually comes with further development of the individual characters, and I'm eager to learn more.I would recommend this to crime thriller enthusiasts everywhere! As stated in my review of "Dead Inside," it's important to note that this book is a part of a series and does end with a hook for book four. Rest assured that all of this individual story's I's are dotted, and t's are crossed; the ending scene purely leaves you wanting and ready for the next installment! News on books four and the following book five of this series is coming soon; be sure to keep this author on your radar!I'd like to take a moment and thank the author, the publishers at One More Chapter, a division of Harper Collins UK, and NetGalley for my advanced ebook copy of "Dead Perfect." I fully intend to add the paperback to my collection! I have voluntarily and honestly reviewed this title.

An extended version of this originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.---I got sucked into this story fast, I was quickly invested in what was going on—and was soon thankful that it wasn't Kate's body in the opening chapter.And yes, I was convinced that Holten had killed her off at the end of Dead Wrong.I had many, many opinions about how Maggie and Kate were behaving over the course of this investigation (positive and negative), and sincerely wished that DS Wright would have sat them down in his office and talked some sense into both of them. I'm not sure that I usually spend quite as much time talking back to books about what protagonists are doing/thinking as I did in these pages.And then the reveals about Living Doll Killer? Didn't see any of them coming (other than the one I mentioned). I love it when an author does that.And then, just like she did last time, Holten doesn't let you fully absorb and reflect on the conclusion of the novel without hitting you with an image that makes you want the next book now, not in a few months.So what did I think about it? It was great. I need Book Four next week, and probably Five a couple of weeks after that.

For Noelle’s debut novel Dead Inside, I said as a first time author she smashed it out of the park. For the follow up, Dead Wrong, I said she smashed it out of the damn stadium. So how does Dead Perfect stack up? Well, as there is nothing bigger than a stadium as far as venues go, so I will say she now owns the damn stadium!Dead Perfect picks up from where Dead Wrong left off and Noelle Holten doesn’t waste any time in kicking things off. What a rollercoaster she takes the reader on. There were so many times she had my heart racing so hard that I had to put the book down to catch my breath! I have a heart condition Ms Holten! LOL!The plot had me intrigued and definitely held my interest. It is authentic and has been executed perfectly. As weird as this is to say, I was actually quite fascinated by this killer, who has been masterfully written. Although the identity of them wasn’t a huge surprise, it was their reasoning behind the why of their actions, that held the most shock!DC Maggie Jamieson is such as formidable character and with each book I love her more and more. She has been very well nurtured over the course of the three books and is right up there as one of my favourite leads. It is her fierce protective side that really stood out for me in this story and we see more of a belligerent side to her as the stress of this latest case hits close to home.With each book I see Noelle Holten’s confidence grow. No longer a rising star, she is a star and one that shines so brightly as she cements her place up there with the likes of Angela Marsons in the crime thriller genre. She has taken her own experiences and has translated them into a series that just keeps going from strength to strength and I can’t wait to see where it is going to head next.Dead Perfect is a smashing read and one I can’t recommend highly enough. It is dark, intense, compelling and so incredibly well written. It is a fast paced action packed read and is such a brilliant addition to this series. Congratulations on another outstanding read Noelle Holten!

I really enjoyed this one. Totally creepy serial killer chase as the character and MO of this one keeps you intrigued and anxious.

I was lucky enough to have Book 3, "Dead Perfect," on my shelf, so I could jump right in as soon as I finished "Dead Wrong.""Dead Perfect" is another testament to the author's extensive knowledge in her field. I loved the authenticity of this third instalment.The story is tense and fast-moving from the very first page, setting a relentless pace. Noelle Holten’s writing draws me in and keeps me turning page after page, making it impossible to put the book down. In this book, the team faces a frantic race against time to catch a serial killer who seems to be targeting one of their own. With no obvious suspects and time running out, the pressure intensifies. I enjoyed how uniquely and mysteriously the perpetrator was portrayed. While I guessed their identity early on, I remained unsure about the motive until the very end.  This book was quite creepy, and I felt genuine fear for the characters.

If you ever wondered what Maggie Jamieson would be like when she is angry and under pressure, read Dead Perfect. You will then understand why it's not a good idea to cross her or to threaten the people she cares about either. At the end of book two Kate was hit with a very startling bit of information, the very thing that kicks off the action in this latest offering.There is a stalker loose on the streets of Staffordshire and they have a very distinct and rather troublesome M.O. Abducting young women and then altering their appearance, before leaving their bodies in what can only be described as a very macabre manner, this is someone that the team need to find an quickly. But the case has a very personal edge for Maggie which makes her very volatile and possibly even a risk to the integrity of the investigation. Why? Because her good friend, Dr Kate Moloney, is just the stalker's type and the signs are all there that she is their next intended victim.The story is full of tension, the pacing quite quick as the team strive to find any links between the women that might lead them to the suspect. They are all feeling the pressure, particularly as it is one of their own who is clearly being targeted, but that sense of the slow moving cogs of the investigation rang true, as did the many dead ends they encountered as they ruled out suspects one by one. I'm not going to lie, Maggie's behaviour in this book really did grate on me after a while and although I understood the mixture of anxiety and passion she felt for the case, for obvious reasons, her lack of professionalism at times was too much to take and if I'd been in charge of her, I'd have kicked her off the case in a heartbeat. It was fun watching the back and forth between her and journalist, Julie Noble, perhaps the best of frenemies, although Maggie would be loathe to admit to the spark between them. I can definitely see that developing as the series continues. It should keep things lively!I did peg the right suspect in the book quite early on, but their motivations remained a secret right until the end, quite probably not what most readers will have suspected. The whole truth of the matter is gradually revealed, with surprising links to Kate's past emerging, something which gives us greater insight into her as a character too. It has been clear from the start that she wa concealing something about her past, something that she hid behind a wall of fake confidence and reticence that doesn't quite see her through this ordeal. She is a character I like, and seeing the cracks appearing in her friendship with Maggie as they both struggle to cope with what is happening felt true to character.It's another exciting, tension filled read but one which is perhaps best read after book two rather than a standalone. And be warned! There is another tense cliffhanger ahead so you're just going to have to tune into book four too, aren't you?

The moment I started reading Noelle Holten’s new novel, Dead Perfect, my heart was in my mouth. What a way to open a book! After the cliff hanger, Noelle left her last book on, I was desperate to get round to reading the next book as soon as possible, and I think it’s her best book yet in this series.This time around DC Maggie Jamieson is left fearing for the life of her close friend, Dr Kate Moloney, after the body of a woman is discovered. The woman who has been found bears a strong resemblance to Kate, which immediately sparks thoughts that it is her. But Maggie doesn’t quite feel the sense of relief she should feel when the body is identified as someone else. What becomes clear is that someone is targeting Kate, and they are killing women who look very similar to her. Is this to send Kate a message? It isn’t clear. But Maggie now knows her friend’s life is under imminent threat and she is determined to protect her.My heart rate kept increasing as I raced through this book. You can see how desperate the killer is to get to Kate, but you are never quite sure what their motive is here. Kate herself has been stalked recently, which gives Maggie cause for concern, and she wants Kate to step up her security. However, Kate doesn’t seem to be particularly keen, especially as she doesn’t want to be attached to her phone all the time.You can see Maggie’s feelings for Kate growing in this book, and her feelings for Kate is what makes Maggie even more concerned for her welfare and keen to protect her. I really liked this side of Maggie, and it makes her character feel much more real and human. After finishing the latest book, I’m wondering just how things for Maggie are going to develop next.As Noelle has done in the first two books in the series, she uses her knowledge of the probation system, adding a ring of authenticity to her writing.If you’re not yet reading this series, you’re missing out on some excellent books. Noelle Holten keeps the tension rising, and then she always ends with another cliff hanger that makes you desperate to read her next book. Brilliant stuff!

This is the third book of a brilliant series. I shall stick my neck out and suggest it would also be good as a stand alone. Dead Perfect begins with a dead woman’s body and the ride starts straight away. The pace is fast and fabulous.The dead body bears a startling resemblance with DC Maggie Jamieson’s friend and colleague Dr Kate Moloney, and for a few breath taking minutes she believes it is her. Noelle’s writing style is fabulous, with lots of chapters ending on cliff hangers which make you read on and quickly resolve the issues in the next but one chapter. It’s an exciting read, although quite scary and tense throughout.Maggie is her usual prickly self throughout the book. She must be a nightmare to manage! However her instincts are good and an officer you would like to have on your side as she is fierce! It’s a case that is very close to her, and it’s this very closeness that stops Maggie from reacting quickly to some things she would usually pounce on.I had my suspicions about the killer quite early on, but this did not stop me enjoying the book. Just like when you watch the tv, I felt like shouting at the book a few times as I read. For the first time, I missed a strong male counterpart for Maggie. I don’t think the police looked after one of their own very well, and would hope that this would be rectified in a real world situation. Saying that, this did feel like a real police station filled with real police officers. Noelle’s experience shows clearly throughout her writing.I can’t wait for the next in the series. I love the way Noelle writes, I love the fast tempo of her writing and her skill at moving the pieces of her story around, enticing the reader in with red herrings and involving them in a few stories at the same time. The book ends with yet another cliff hanger which I can’t wait to resolve with number four. Long may Maggie continue to work with great cases and interesting officers.