Blog Tour (Review): Before I Die by Jackie Morrissey

As far as psych thrillers go, this one is definitely unique.

It’s difficult to go into too much detail, because the crux of the plot, the very thing that makes it psychological, is wound all through the story and to even mention it could spoil the surprises the author has cleverly added.

Having the elderly as the main characters was a smart choice because the thrust of the story would have been run of the mill. As it was, however, it added a sinister level to the psychological games the villain was playing. I did like Michael, as well the as unusual alliance he formed (not sayin’ with whom!)

I thought the author captured the worries of older adults in a way that made them sympathetic without making them caricatures of “poor old folks.” Concerns like adult children, finding footing in a changing world, and the ever-present health issues were all addressed adequately and with some feeling.

On the other hand, I did think that Dolores verged on being a stereotype at times. That may have been by design. But I found her to be uneven (again, possibly on purpose). For example, I did not notice her stilted speech at first, but at one point, it seemed like it became more pronounced…to the point where I had to go back and reread to see if I had missed it in her first few scenes (I had).

I think that as we age, we all have the same fears. Will people forget about me? Will they dismiss me as being old and senile? Who can I trust when the people I used to trust are no longer around? How do I stop someone from taking advantage of me…or worse?

And when you have a psycho killer after you, how much more important do those questions become?

AUTHOR BIO

Jackie Morrissey lives in County Dublin and worked for many years in adult education. Her job took her into colleges and prisons all around Ireland, and introduced her to a range of interesting people. She loved the buzz of teaching, but came to hate the tyranny of correcting assignments. She has written throughout her adult life and has had many short stories published, one of which won the Molly Keane Short Story award. She has also been a regular contributor of short pieces for the Irish radio program Sunday Miscellany. About four years ago, she took the decision to write full time.  The psychological thriller Before I Die is her first published novel.

BEFORE I DIE is Jackie’s debut novel and her first published with Inkubator Books.