If you have never read any of the Anne Frazier Dead series do not start with number 4! You will be lost many times throughout the book.
The relationship between the two leads Elise and David take center spot in the story and the murder investigation or the mystery takes second place if not third. Elise has so much baggage the store gets weighed down to the point of losing the enjoyment of the mystery.
The story has a huge cast of characters that at times feels almost impossible to follow as well as the backstory many readers have been looking forward too.
Readers will need to suspend their belief of what they know about Police work, human nature as well as the romance between the main leads.
Thank you Netgalley for the Advance Copy

If you’re keeping score, you know the last book ended with Det. Elisa Sandburg & partner David Gould leaving the Savannah PD under a cloud. They decided to say goodbye to all the bureaucratic/political crap & open their own agency.

But before they can hang out their shingle, Elise gets a call from Savannah ME Dr. John Casper. A body has been found stuffed in the wall of an old house undergoing demolition. The address is well known to Savannah residents. It was once owned by Frank Remy, a prolific serial killer who was eventually caught by Elise’s father Jackson Sweet. He died in prison years ago but this body is eerily similar to some recent homicides in Florida. Casper is unhappy with Elise’s replacement & asks her to come back & have an “unofficial” look-see.

Elise & David are a sight for sore eyes for old colleagues who are suffering under Victor Lamont, the man who took her job. They need to determine if Remy had a partner or if this is the work of a copycat. First up is the exhumation of Remy’s grave. And oooh lawdy, no one could have predicted just how many ways THAT would go wrong.

This is a fast paced thriller with a plot that zigs then zags as some ugly secrets from the past provide clues for the present investigation. Elise’s relationship with her long estranged father is shaky at the best of times & she believes he knows more than he’s telling, especially as the body count continues to rise.

Elise still struggles with PTSD as a result of her run-ins with psycho Atticus Tremain (previous books). She’s been able to keep it under wraps but the combination of being back in Savannah plus changes to her personal life bring it roaring back to life. Weird stuff is happening around her & her sometimes erratic behaviour has colleagues questioning her stability. Meanwhile, David begins to wonder if it’s time for him to move on alone. He’s always loved Elise but with no sign she’s ready for a relationship, just how long is a guy supposed to wait?

There’s a huge back story to this series so I really wouldn’t recommend this as a stand alone. The large cast have intricate ties & many references would go over the head of a first time reader. Among the returning characters is Elise’s friend (and Jackson’s lover) Strata Luna who adds her spooky mysticism to the atmospheric old south setting.

Some of the scenes are fairly graphic but entirely in keeping with what fans expect from several of the characters. A little suspension of disbelief is required & that’s what prevented me from giving this a higher rating. Elise’s fragile state, personal tragedies & what she endures made it hard for me to believe she could function as a person, let alone a detective. But hey, this is fiction & if you’re a fan of romantic suspense/drama there is plenty here to keep you entertained.

I have always enjoyed reading Anne Frasier novels and this one does not disappoint. The tension builds slowly into a crescendo that explodes with an action packed finalle that both satisfies and leaves you wanting more. I look forward to the next exciting story that this author bring to life.

Good book well worth a read i really like this book xxx

I want to state that I enjoyed this book, however, I had a lot of issues with it. I rates it a 4, because it is a strong, well written book. I felt the dialogue between use and David did flow like it did in the previous 3 books. I really enjoy the dry, snarky quips. I also felt that everyone in the book did things out of character, based on the previous 3 books. I really enjoyed this series. This book was no exception. I rates previous installments with 5 stars. You'll enjoy this book if you like this author. It's a dark, gut wrenching page turninger. I literally held my breathe on several scenes. This author can paint an image in your mind like none other. I love the Savanah backdrop. Gonna miss this crew.

This is a great installment in the Elise Sandburg Series. I love the characters of detective Elise and her partner, David Gould. This one had a chilling storyline and it kept me riveted.

Elise and David are working on a case in this one that becomes eerily familiar. Bodies have been discovered in a house where Frank J. Remy lived. As Elise becomes consumed by the case, she stands to lose everything she cares for.

I found this one very suspenseful and thrilling. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

A truly good thriller set in beautiful Savannah. Non stop suspense in this edge of your seat book. Very well written.

“Truly Dead” Is the fourth book in Anne Frasier’ the Elise Sandburg series. Although this book could stand by itself, it is best to read the others in in the series before starting “Truly Dead” because they share some of the same characters, and there are multiple references to events in the previous books throughout this book.
For first-time readers, this book is three stars because it takes several chapters to categorize all the people, places, and events from the previous books. For returning readers, it is five stars.
The action is nonstop right from the first, and the pace is consistent throughout the book. The characters are well developed and although each character has many personal issues to deal with, they all seem to mesh in a comprehensive and thrilling story.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed the book, and now I will have added the previous books to my “must read” list so I can catch up on all the details I missed.

It was a good mystery novel. It's part of a series but you can read it without missing out on much

I love this series. I love the setting, I love the stories, I even love the characters even if I want to kill them at the same time. Elise and David are like a modern day Mulder and Scully. There's the sexual tension you feel between them but then there's also the respect you can feel between them. I really hope this series continues because I feel like there is so much more to explore. I'm not ready to say goodbye to Savannah, GA or these great characters.

Wow What a start and ending to an amazing book. Elise and David really give you a thrill ride like no other. Every person in this book is wonderfully written. Non stop action from page one to the end.
Mystery, thrill of the chase and of course love all wrapped in one. . I Could be wrong but i think it is going to be a best seller.

This is the 4th book in a series but I didn't feel like I missed anything by not reading the others. David and Elise are detectives who were fired from the Savannah police. They have been asked to return to consult on a case. A house being torn down exposes multiple bodies inside the walls, eerily similar to a serial killer who operated in the area 36 years ago, but who died in prison. Is there a copy cat? David and Elise are put back on the force and as the investigation progresses it becomes obvious someone out there has an agenda, revenge. Family, friends anyone connected to the investigation could be a target.

David and Elise are good detectives but both have personal demons they are dealing with which serve to make them very human. This book is fast paced, action packed and full of suspense. It will grab you from the first page and hold your interest til the end. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I love this series by Anne Frasher. Great mystery and setting. Characters that you will love to revisit from book to book. Now just waiting for the next release

Anne Frasier is the pen name of Theresa Weir, widely known for her excellent memoir, "The Orchard". Her fiction stands out, in my opinion, for her deep and compassionate understanding of physic pain.

This is the fourth book in a detective series featuring homicide detectives Elise Sandburg and David Gould. It is set in Savannah, and is richly atmospheric.

As the story begins, Elise and David are called back to Savannah from Chicago; they had both been fired after their last case. The Savannah medical examiner, John Casper, called them and asked them to come back unofficially and help him with a new case. They agree because John is also a personal friend: “John was the good kind of family. The kind that wasn’t blood.”

Bodies of children have been found in a house slated for demolition. The house was once occupied by a murderer, Frank Remy, who was put in prison by Elise’s father Jackson Sweet, and who died in prison 36 years before. Making the case more disturbing, the m.o. is similar to that of a serial killer in Florida.

Returning to Savannah, especially for a case involving dead children, brings up all sorts of ghosts for Elise and David.

David lost his own child to murder, and Elise had been captured and tortured by a serial killer named Atticus Tremain who was never caught. The case pushes emotional buttons for both of them.

Meanwhile, the police decide to exhume Remy’s body to see if the DNA matches any of the DNA on the bodies inside the wall, and then all hell breaks loose. Not only Elise and David but everyone they love is in danger.

Discussion: As in previous books, the author closely captures the feelings of people who are dealing with loss and/or agonizing memories. She shows how hurt, loneliness, and shame can translate into a pain that is physical.

Evaluation: The atmosphere of Savannah, the appealing but troubled protagonists and the chemistry between them, and the suspense that builds to a fever pitch make a winning combination. I definitely look forward to more volumes in this series.

Anne Frasier is one of my favorite authors, and this is one of my favorite series. Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read it early. Praying that this isn't the end of Elise and David, but if it is it did not disappoint. I love the Savannah setting of these books. An emotional roller coaster of a book. I could not put it down.

4 and 1 / 2 stars

This is the fourth in the Elise Sandberg series. Elise and David return to Savannah in this book. No longer with the police department, they are asked by the coroner to assist on a case that is eerily familiar.

A serial killer who died thirty-six years earlier in prison owned the house where several bodies were found in a wall of the house which is being torn down. What is going on? Is it a copycat killer?

Elise has personal difficulty with her past and seems to be falling apart as she strives to both solve the case and keep her loved ones safe.

This is another well written and plotted novel by Anne Frasier. It is interesting, suspenseful and moves along nicely. It is a very nice addition to the series.

I want to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read.

I wonder sometimes what is wrong with me. I'm not nineteen reading romantic suspense anymore, yet I still get caught up in stupid will they/won't they scenarios. I truly believe the Elise Sandburg books are supposed to be police procedurals first. Frasier’s books do have exciting stories. But then I get caught up in this other crap. Which at my advanced age, I still love. So this is on me.
When we last left them, Elise Sandburg and David Gould had been fired from the Savannah, GA police dept. However after a very successful solve in a Chicago case as private detectives, they are called back to Savannah by ME and good friend John Curry to consult on a tragic case of murdered children. After a satisfying shooting at a cemetery-which I should be ashamed of myself as characterizing that way- Elise and David are back on the job, for at least awhile. Cemetery shooting, murdered children, then the story really goes dark. I had a pit in my stomach through most of the book. Thank goodness it was rainy so I convinced myself I didn't really need to go out and I read it in one sitting. Yep, it’s that good.
Elise is still messed up from her kidnapping, severely so. Sometimes she doesn't seem to know what is real or not. David hasn’t quite given up on her, but is considering other options in getting on with his life. He is still a bit of a man-ho. Elise still has severe daddy issues, but there is light at the end of that tunnel. And we have the comfort of the 'usual suspects' from Savannah returning.
This could be read as a standalone, but heck why deprive yourself of the other three Elise Sandburg stories?
Quibble time. Murdered children almost disappeared from the story. The aforementioned will they/won't they. A bit more detail here and there.
Exciting story, characters to care about, and great setting; check, check, and check.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange of a fair and honest review. And a big thank you to the masked hero who first posted this was available for review on NetGalley. I was on it, babee.

Please see review at

This book is equally as amazing as the previous books. There was never a point where I felt I could put this book down!

Thank you, Anne and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this! Such a wonderful series!! Non-stop suspense with thrills and chills.