Author: Gloria Galloway
Paperback: 226 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (July 1, 2011)
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Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Gloria Galloway. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.
Ratings: ★ ★ ★
My thoughts:
Dead By My Side has a good storyline, the first few chapters were engaging but there were also some disappointments along the way. When Julia, Tony's police partner, was shot dead, the book became an emotional read for me. Reading about Julia's life and her relationship with Tony (more than friends but less than lovers style) before her death, well, it kept things interesting. The first disappointment happened while Tony and dead Julia were investigating their first murder case in the story. A mother of twins was found dead in her bedroom while everyone is away - husband, nanny, and the kids. Based on the evidences presented, believe me I instantly knew who the killer was. I was kind of hoping there would be twist in the story, not the killer I had in mind, unfortunately I was right and I was disappointed.
Other murder investigations turned out decent with right amount of suspense. However, I had a problem with the pacing of the story, I felt it was too slow to entice me to read further. I soon lost interest in the investigation and began skimming. I was guessing it also has something to do with me hating Julia's character. She would often whine about being dead and the fact that she's not really helping the case. I was constantly annoyed by her attitude, I liked Tony though.
While the plot is interesting, I didn't enjoy this book much but that's just me. You might want to read some of the positive reviews for this book, read here.
About the book:
Julia Reynolds is a homicide detective with beauty, brains, a smart mouth and a sharp investigative eye. She is the perfect foil for Tony Camarelli, who is handsome, tough, dedicated and thorough. Together they make a great team, trading banter, fighting crime, out to catch the bad guy. It all sounds like a normal day at the office for these two partners. Except for one little detail…she’s dead. Julia and Tony have worked together for twelve years. Their partnership is cut short the day that Julia is killed in the line of duty and Tony is left to pick up the pieces. When Julia’s ghost comes back to haunt him, she wreaks havoc on his peace of mind, plays on his nerves and interrupts his love life. It soon becomes clear that she won’t leave him alone until he agrees to partner up again. As she did in life, Julia helps Tony with the investigation, but this time she has a new and unique perspective from beyond the grave, and they will need it. The duo is about to face the most challenging case of their careers. A cunning serial killer, who doesn’t fit any criminal profile, stalks the young women of Sacramento, daring the local authorities and the FBI to catch him. Hot on the trail of a sadistic monster, they must fight against time while trying to adjust to their new “living” arrangements.
About the author:
Gloria Galloway makes her home in Northern California. She has had a life-long fascination with the spectral world. Her story came together after extensive research of police procedure, crime scene investigation and studies of the criminal mind. She collaborated with experts in the field, including a crime scene investigator and a former deputy coroner of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department.
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