Cover Image: Truly Dead

Truly Dead

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Member Reviews

Don't worry if you haven't read the earlier books! Elise Sandberg and her partner David make a dynamic duo in this well plotted procedural. A good read.

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Not sure what all the fuss is about. I really didn't like Elise AT ALL. What a basket case of traumatic hang-ups: Her fraught relationship with her partner David, messed-up relationship with her father, the high-tension act with her daughter, it was all a bit annoying.

Too much emotional drama and very little of it believably portrayed. I'd prefer her doing some real detective work. And maybe finding a new therapist - one that doesn't starting crying and then offers to refund her fee becasue there's just no way to help Elsie. Really!

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Everything she writes is a new favorite book. Elise is a fantastic driven character and the author leaves you wanting more.

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Homicide detectives Elsie and David had left the Savannah GA PD and were starting to set up their own PI business after successfully solving a serial killer case in Chicago. Then they get a call from the ME Dr John Curry who is also a friend and he asks them to come back to Savannah and consult unofficially at a tragic case involving murdered children. Children’s bodies had been stuffed in the wall of a house and one was put there recently and found by a demolition team as they were tearing down the house. Frank Remy had once lived in that house but the bodies were thirty six years old and put in the house before remy was arrested all but one. But remy who was a brutal horrible serial killer had been put in jail and died there. Elsie’s father jackson had actually put Remy in prison. The recent body in the wall looked eerily similar like some homicides in Florida. Elsie was still severely messed up with PTSD from her kidnapping brutal rape and torture she had endured for three days with psycho killer Treman. Elsie refuses to be intimate with anyone because her body had been disfigured during the torture. Weird things are happening around Elsie and sometimes it is hard for her to tell what is real and what isn’t and is erratic herself. David is in love with Elsie but knows she is nowhere near being ready for a relationship. So he is thinking about other options and getting on with his life. Elsie’s friend and Jackson’s lover was Strata Luna. Elsie and her father Jackson’s relationship was shaky but he warns her to back off from this case and to leave town but Elsie won’t. Elsie thinks Jackson know more than he is saying. The PD exhumes Remy’s body and things go wrong and Elsie and David get their jobs back at least for now.
I enjoyed this book but felt it was more about Elsie and her issues and relationship with David then the actual case. This is a dark read so be prepared. But this had a lot of twists and turns that I really liked. You keep reading as you want to see what is going to happen next you don’t want to put the book down. I did feel a little confused at times. This was depressing in a lot of ways bit a big one for me besides the children’s murders was Elsie did not have one happy moment in this entire book not one. If David was in love with Elsie why was she with someone else and then hid her in the shower when Elsie wanted to come in and talk about the case. Why didn’t he bring the woman out and let Elsie know he had been with someone if he was really trying to get on with his life? The ending was also a kind of let down I thought this would end with a bang but I was wrong oh well it happens. I did like there was a lot of action. I advise you to read the series in order. I liked the fast pace and plot. I also felt this was well written. Although realistically I don’t believe Elsie would be able to function as a detective. But I did enjoy this and I recommend this book

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This is very good book and an engrossing. I read this on holiday and couldn’t put it down. Elise was a very likeable character and I found myself constantly rooting for her and holding my breath at times. I would absolutely recommend this book to friends and family. I would read more of these if any are written.

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I hadn't read the previous books in the series but managed to understand the plot well enough. I do think that reading them in order would help you understand the characters better.

The story is quite dark with the discovery of murdered children in an old house. It has a serial killer, family dysfunction and a will they won't they story between the two detectives.

The story is fast paced and hard to put down.

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I am a huge Anne Frasier fan! The first Anne Frasier book I read was The Body Reader. After that I was hooked! I have read all the books in the Elise Sandburg series, and I was very excited when I saw that number 4 was available. The stories are always great! Intriguing, mysterious, twisted with a brilliant conclusion. Savannah definitely adds to the intrigue of the mysteries. Thanks to this series I have added Savannah to my list of places to see in the USA! The characters are also great and I have been able to really relate to all of them. I am already looking forward to the 5th instalment in Elise Sandburg's life.

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This book had not only an edge of your seat plot but it had a lot of feels. This is a series that I really enjoy.

This series has some seriously damaged and kick ass characters. This is book 4. I am left with some lingering thoughts. First thought...there needs to be more, second thought and third thought MORE. PLEASE!

There were times when I wanted to smack both David & Elise, both for good reasons tend to drown in their own pasts. Both carrying more baggage than any character should. Both devoted and tried & true cops...actually they are so much more. They are brilliant detectives that in every aspect are flawed but together they get the job done. They are trouble magnets. And this book left me with a glimmer of hope for them but also so much heartache.

John & Mara broke my heart. And the relationship with Elise's daughter needs to be addressed. This book was fast paced, dark and had so much heart. This authors writing is so very good. I'm looking forward to reading more from her.

The characters as I have said before are seriously damaged and kick ass. There is always some woo woo surrounding Elise, she is a woman with so much baggage. And she is one hell of a cop and mom.

And David...well he needs his own butler for all his baggage. But together they work.

I not only love the main characters but the surrounding cast. And this story was dark, it was fragile...Elise walks a fine line. Both of these characters are brilliant in getting to the bottom of the crimes. But the toll it takes sometimes to their very core is heartbreaking.

Anne Frazier is a brilliant writer, she writes dark, damaged characters that are strong and kick ass. I'm a HUGE fan and can't wait for more.

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To say that I've waited for this title is a gross understatement. I pre-ordered the book and the audiobook.

Not exactly sure how I feel about it. On one hand, several ongoing subplots were resolved. And I felt like Elise really grew in the story. On the other hand, there was a gap in the timeline that I found kinda irritating. I was expecting this story to begin where book three ended. Nope. It's like she skipped a whole book and jumped to this story.

I also spent a great deal of this book wanting to slap Elise for trying to regulate David to the friend zone. Like that was going to work.

The end is also a bit rushed. Not that I wanted the end to be dragged out, but an explanation of where the key baddies have been spending their downtime would have been nice.

I really like the narrator for the Audible edition. I am always amazed at the wide range of voices she brings to the narration.

Overall, I was satisfied with this addition to the series. And yeah, I'll probably pre-order book 5.

Recommend strongly.

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This book starts out where the last one ended so I would recommend starting this series from the beginning. This is a one sitting read and the author has stepped up the tension both in the storyline as well as the interpersonal relationships. I am enjoying the evolution of the main characters and looking forward to the next installment.

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Although 4th in this series, this one does well as a stand alone. However, I do recommend starting at the beginning. There are numerous little gems in these books that guarantee you will understand the adventures and the growth of these characters.

Homicide Detectives Elise Sandburg and David Gould no longer work for the Savannah police department. In the middle of setting up a Private Investigator business, they are called back to consult unofficially.

Children's bodies were found stuffed into walls when a demolition team was tearing down a house. The house is where Frank Remy once lived .... and the bodies were placed there 36 years ago.. before Remy was jailed and subsequently died. It also happens that Elise's father was the man who made sure Remy went to prison.

BOOK BLURB: Does Elise have a copycat on her hands? Is Remy’s influence reaching from beyond the grave? Or is Elise making connections where there are none? When her father warns her to back off the case, Elise’s shadowy family history threatens to swallow her once again. But whatever force is at work, she won’t rest until the killing stops.

This is a terrific series. Plenty of action, lots of bodies falling, and solid characters who seem to grow and mature with each book. Elise and David are both damaged in different ways. They each would like to be in a relationship, other than professional, but their scars, the ones inside and outside, seem to prevent that from happening.

This is a well-written crime novel and my hope is that there will be many more.

Many thanks to the author / Thomas & Mercer / Netgalley for the digital copy of TRULY DEAD. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

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I enjoyed this book a lot but would have been even more enjoyable if I had read the previous books in the series. I would recommend this book.

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Elise and David, back in action together again with all the creepy twists and turns we expect. I love that this book brought us deeper detail on both families as well as the psychological issues Elise deals with. This, like all of her other books was a page turner and I didn't want it to come to an end. If you love mystery, thrills and paranormal creepies you can't go wrong with this series. Grab the first book and get to reading!

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Great book, easy read… Held my attention and was sad to see it end. Thanks for the opportunity to read it!

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Returning to Savannah on the case of another killer, we join Elise & David for another round of epic mystery, suspense and secrets. Frasier has done it again with her writing talent that never ceases to leave me wanting more. Elise and David return to Savannah with the idea of starting their own business, taking it slower and approaching detective work a bit on the safer side. However, someone else has other plans and after a series of strange and unfortunate events, Sandburg and her partner find themselves with no choice but to dive back into the crime solving business of working for the SPD all over again. Children's bodies have been found in the walls of a home under construction, resembling a crime that was committed by a killer who SHOULD have been dead and gone.....or was he? And how is this case related to Jackson Sweet? Is Elise and everyone she cares about in danger and will they be able to catch the killer in time before more murders occur? This book kept me on the edge of my seat, as most Frasier books will tend to do. I felt like this fourth series allows the reader to dive a little further into the emotional baggage our main characters happen to struggle with. Truly Dead also gives a more in depth look to Elise and her relationship with David-one we have been following for awhile now and wondering about how or will it progress into something more? Prepare for the feels in this one as our favorite supporting characters such as John the coroner, Strata Luna (the BEST!) and Audrey, Elise's daughter return to play important roles throughout the book.
I don't like to give spoilers in my reviews, but I do want to be honest in saying that I personally feel the ending lacked a little luster. I feel as though it kind of just ended instead of the bigger climax that I had expected. Either way, I always enjoy reading every book Frasier writes and I'm even more excited when I hear that there is another book in a series. I do think that there was plenty of room to keep the series going-even if for one more book. I know I wouldn't be disappointed and I'm positive other Frasier fans would feel the same. Thank you to Anne Frasier and NetGalley for allowing me to read this copy for my review.

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I waited a year to read the fourth book in this series. I was lucky enough to be given a review copy from Anne Frasier and Netgalley and devoured this book in 2 days. The book is officially out now and available on kindle unlimited!

I will admit, the beginning through me off. I felt like I forgot something, so I went back and read some reviews of the 3rd book. I had read the first three, one after the other, so it took me a second to reorient myself.

I love the characters in this book. I love the touch of paranormal, the Savannah setting, the character descriptions, everything. I can picture myself inside the story, getting to know the characters. I love that Elise and David have flaws. Sometimes books have those to perfect characters that you can't relate to.

This series is a must read. There is enough character development to get attached, thrill and suspense to keep you reading all in one sitting. I recommend starting with book 1 if you haven't read them yet. Totally worth the read!

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Another great installment in the Elise Sandburg series.
A story that grips you from the first paragraph, and keep you hooked till the very end.
If you love thrillers this is a MUST read.

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Anne Frasier does it again!! Another great edition to this series. Anne has a way of capturing you from the beginning to the very end. It picks up right where the previous book left and I love that she doesn't keeping repeating from the other books. That you can just keep reading as you left off and just enough information is given to remember about the previous books. I felt like I was right there with the writing being so vivid. I love the banter between Elise and David. I am so happy where they were at in the ending of the book. It is a heartbreaking, dark, and suspenseful read until the very end. I highly recommend! I am REALLY hoping they have more books to this series.

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As always another stellar read in the Elise Sandburg & David Gould series. The character development is outstanding and as I've read all books in this series this one may be my favorite. Pick this one up for sure and plan on doing an all nighter.
The storyline will pull you right in and consume you. It takes you down a long and winding road never leaving a stone unturned.
My advice is to not only add this to your reading list but get this read right away as you will not be disappointed. Anne Frasier is an author worth reading

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As usual Anne Frasier is the master of suspense and deep character descriptions and background. Really enjoyed this book.

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