I’m going to be blunt with this one. Over Her Dead Body, a new psych thriller from Tim Adler, is not for the faint of heart. The author’s depiction of events is stark and sometimes chilling.
it is also important to say that there are some serious issues in this plot. My blog usually does not include trigger warnings, but readers should know going in – if only to head off any “if I’d known I wouldn’t have picked it up” bad reviews.
I hate those types of reviews.
Anyway, mental illness and domestic abuse both figure heavily in the plot. In fact, there probably wouldn’t be much of a plot without either.
From the blurb, you know that Keisha is arrested for the murder of her abusive husband. But the early chapters cast doubt on that arrest.
Who is Myra? Why does she have the first chapter in the book? What does she have to do with Keisha’s relationship with her husband?
And who really did kill the husband?
Given these questions just from the first chapter, you know you are in for a challenging and mysterious story.
The author builds tension by allowing the reader to see Keisha’s life as it is in the present while also reliving Keisha’s earlier life in the mental ward right along with her.
It is clever writing, because it allows the reader to see everything from Keisha’s point of view, making her almost instantly a sympathetic character.
And then the reader starts to get Myra’s memories. Suddenly things aren’t as clear anymore.
Honestly, it is difficult to write this review while being mindful of not giving away any vital plot points. I was hooked from the beginning and had a very hard time putting it down. How do I convey that without tipping secrets?
Keisha has an abusive husband. Somebody kills him. Who and why are eventually revealed over the course of the book. The author builds credible tension while laying out the case against…someone. That is where the psych in psych thriller kicks in.
Odd review, I know, but Over Her Dead Body needs to be read with as little influence as possible, in my opinion. Tim Adler has put great thought into building the relationships – far be it from me to mess with them.
What a fabulous review! Thank you so much for taking part in the tour x