Who Cares If They Die is a police procedural, but one that took a different direction that I wasn’t expecting. In fact, as the reader, I saw the direction in which the story was moving early on, but this was not a plot issue. This was done so we, as readers, were left to watch helplessly as our main character, Dean Matheson, struggled to figure out what we already knew. This was such an effective plot device, and I was a bit of surprised. I’ve read novels where this was used, and it backfired. This worked very well to keep me on the edge of my seat…not wondering what was going to happen, but left wondering if Dean would figure things out before it was too late.

Dean Matheson is an interesting character. His thoughts are all over the place, and in the beginning, he is not the most likable character. This only makes me respect Wendy Dranfield as an author more, because she’s getting away with giving us a relatively unlikeable main character, and it still works. It works SO well. Dean is taken on an emotional rollercoaster, and he is rarely able to catch a break. He grows on you as the story progresses.

I enjoyed the elements of a psychological thriller thrown in here with the slower pace of a police procedural. It was balanced well, and I loved the plot. I highly recommend checking this one out. I think you’ll be in for a treat, reading a book full of plot devices that don’t always work out, but work so well for this story!

I love it when an author’s writing just clicks for you, and that’s exactly what happened here. From page one I was sucked in to Wendy’s writing, and it gripped me all the way through.

The above is a great sounding synopsis, although I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen when I started it. But boy was a wrong.

There’s bread crumbs throughout that lead us to where we’re suppose to go (I thought I was really clever at one point, but really I just figured out exactly what I was meant to!). The ‘reveal’ is done brilliantly, and the best part of the book? Well I can’t tell you that.

Here we have a brilliantly clever, and unique mystery. And you’ll just have to read to find out why.

This book was interesting to say the least. The author has a solid writing style (as well as a solid grip on small town life), and she certainly knows how to create complex characters. Even the fact that we as the reader know early on who is behind things (although we don't know why until later), was a refreshing change and something I enjoyed. To me, the why is just as important (if not more important) than the who. So on those aspects I very much enjoyed this story.

Where it lost it for me was in some of the actions and reactions Dean had. I can understand his affair. What I can't understand is how he was so completely blind were Beth was concerned. Suddenly his earlier decision to try and make things work out with Linda were forgotten. Even though he senses something is off about Beth, he doesn't look too deeply into it. He's a cop for crying out loud, and yet he makes some seriously flawed choices. I can't go into everything without there being major spoilers, lets just say that there were times when he seriously should have known better.

Overall, I will read more from this author (including more of this series as this is apparently book one in a new series featuring Dean and his dog - which surprised me. I would have expected it to be at least book 2) and I do believe this novel will appeal to those who enjoy a well written thriller.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

3.5☆ A Crime Mystery Thriller
(Rounded up to 4☆ for Amazon and Goodreads &, NETGALLEY )


Who Cares if they Die is a mystery crime thriller.

I enjoyed reading Who Cares if they Die but I didn't think it was a psychological crime thriller.
It was more of a crime fiction, mystery with alot of character driven storylines.

I think this is because I like my crime thrillers to be gritty, somewhat dark, faster paced and hanging on to every word.

However for me this book was slower paced. The beginning was exciting and held my attention but then I felt the story drifted off a little. Although it's really important to develop a relationship with your characters I felt there was alot of build up to Officer Dean Matheson life story, that I missed the detective work I crave.

Officer Dean Matheson is a deeply flawed Character. He cheated on his wife with the Dr at his work, he brother committed suicide, his wife wants a divorce, he misses out on a promotion he so desperately wants.
He is highly ambitious, but not the most likeable character. Although my heart went out to him when he rescued Rocky the gorgeous pup and Emily.

Then he meets Bella, she is working as a psychiatric counsellor at the women's prison.
Dean takes a liking to her, as the two build up a bond through their passion for helping people and solving crimes.
I warmed to Bella, she is strong, caring, determined and passionate.

The story starts with a young women they found hanging. With no shoes on and a step ladder by her. Is this a suicide attempt or murder?
As more deaths start to unravel it appears there is something a lil more sinister going on.

Despite my reservations, I did enjoy reading who cares if they die.
I did like the extra little stories, particularly Emily's story.
As the story progresses so does the case to find out what happened to the young girl. The reader finds out early on who is responsible which I didn't mind too much, as the police procedural side starts to become more central.

I have a feeling this is the first book in a new series, so I fully appreciate Wendy laying down such strong character stories/relationships.... so I will definitely be looking to read the next instalment if my guess is right, as I think this series has real potential.

A good first read if you enjoy slower paced, character driven crime mysteries.

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Gripping, terrifying and chilling, Who Cares If They Die is an exceptional debut from a new mistress of crime fiction: Wendy Dranfield.

Officer Dean Matheson has had a rough couple of years. Having joined the police force determined to make detective, he is instead stuck working for a boss he does not like and attending to minor criminal misdemeanors that are seriously making him question his decision to leave his old job at a correctional facility. His professional life is a complete and utter mess and so is his marriage to Linda. After he had an affair with his colleague, Doctor Sheila, Linda does not trust him any more and all his attempts at a reconciliation are failing and forcing Dean to wonder whether it might be time to head for the divorce court.

When a woman is found hanging in the Maple Valley woods with no shoes, car or name, the unanimous decision seems to be that this was suicide. However, Dean is not convinced. Something simply does not add up and Dean is determined to get to the bottom of this niggling doubt that all is not as it seems. He is convinced that there is something far more dangerous and nefarious going on and he will go to any lengths to make his superiors listen to him and prove his suspicions that this was murder and not suicide correct. However, is Dean aware of the dangerous path he is treading on?

As the body count begins to increase at an alarming rate, Dean cannot help but wonder whether there is a connection between all these murders of people on the fringes of society who live in the shadows who have no name, no identity and nobody to care what happens to them. Dean seems to be only person who cares about bringing to justice the dangerous criminal preying upon these vulnerable victims. But will he end up paying the ultimate prize? Can he catch a killer in time? Or will he be too late?

I have no nails left after reading Who Cares If They Die! I made the mistake of starting this book at ten o’clock at night and before I knew it, it was time for breakfast and I got absolutely no sleep! A shocking crime chiller packed with heart-pounding twists and turns, pulse-racing intrigue and chilling suspense in Who Cares If They Die, Wendy Dranfield ramps up the tension and danger with ease and flair and will keep her readers on the edge of their seats desperate to find out what happens next!

A fantastic thriller from a terrific new writer, Who Cares If They Die is crime fiction at its most outstanding!

I’ve watched so many horror movies in my lifetime and Who Cares if they Die immediately took me back to creepy woodland scenes, derelict cabins and a killer on the loose. It’s very atmospheric and the author does a brilliant job of setting the scene.

Dean has wanted to progress in his career from small town cop to detective so when the bodies begin appearing he is the go to man. Now I’m prone to liking a guy with a bit of an attitude and being overly confident but Dean is way over the top, he may know the locals but that also means the entire townsfolk know exactly what is going on in his private life as well.

He is no angel and would probably do a lot better in his job if he took some advice and kept his hands and trouser zip to himself. The body of a woman hanging must be a suicide right? Dean has other ideas.

Set in the USA this is a great little police procedural/psychological thriller, for once I was able to figure out what was going on and desperately wanted to tell Dean to pull his act together and solve the developing crimes. How many bodies can there be before someone must care if they die. There was a connection in that the girls were from the lower dregs of society, but even so they were still related and special to someone.

So as soon as we realise who the killer is it’s a chase around the clock to fathom out who will be next and why.

I like the author’s writing style and Who Cares if they Die certainly had me turning the pages at speed. It’s a book that once it’s finished will be reflected on to see if life is really like that and if so what can be done about society. I enjoyed it and hope there will be more in the series. I also have to give a loving mention to Rocky .. we all need a dog!

Thanks to the author, publisher, netgalley and Rachel from Random Resources. I read and reviewed voluntarily.

The opening to this story easily grabbed my attention as we are introduced to Dean Matheson who has just arrived at a crime scene. He is an interesting character and you can see he is determined to discover the truth behind the murders but I have to admit it took me a few chapters to get a proper feel for his character. Dean has his flaws but there is something about him that makes you just as invested in him as the story. He also has a pretty troubled private life that just gets even trickier as the story progresses!

The pacing of the story is steady and has a few twists along the way to keep the momentum going. What makes this story a little different is that the reader discovers things that the police don’t regarding the killer. You see the investigation play out knowing so much more, I guess in a way this made me feel a little bit more involved in everything that is happening. I also can’t finish my review without a special mention going to Rocky who was a great addition to the story.

I did it! I finally did it! I figured out the book before it ended….oh wait what do you mean everyone else did too?! Humph

This book was quite frankly awesome. I know it seems I use that term a lot lately but I picked this up and didn’t want to put it down. I wanted to know why there was a woman hanging in the woods with no shoes. I wanted to know what was happening with Dean! Beth! The prisoners! Rocky!

E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!!

Before I go on about this book, the real star of this book is Rocky the dog! I loved this dog he was a trooper and a great asset and friend to Officer Dean Matheson. He reminded me of the greats K-9 and Turner and Hooch just adorable and funny at the same time.

Some of the scenes were unsettling and I did find my hand flying to my mouth in shock at times (don’t worry no eyes or teeth were hurt with this reading!). I could not believe the behaviour of one of the characters, they chilled me to the core. How they were so sinister when you were reading from their POV in the book and how they were perceived by other people when you are reading from other POV was immense. The fact there was no moral ground for this character and how devoid emotion they were just made them even more sinister. How could they trick so many people, not me though Ah-Ha!

I loved that Dean was flawed and I mean seriously flawed. Letting his pants do the talking a bit too much sometimes, ignoring facts in front of him…because of his pants. I spent a few chapters shouting at him as I could see things he couldn’t and he needed to know!! However, despite him being classed as a womaniser, I was still drawn to him. Being hit with revelations after the event with his wife did make me feel for him when he discovered some truths. The poor guy and what he went through. It was truly sad, and even though this was an intense thriller my eyes welled up.

However, I didn’t care that I knew who was doing these shocking murders, I didn’t have all the facts why. So it made me raced through this book, as time was of the essence willing the other characters to hurry up and cotton on! God, it is hard to talk about the storyline without letting anything slip…so I’m going to stop!

When I finished reading, I laid there thinking I need more Dean and Rocky, Rocky and Dean, please let me have another book. Well low and behold in the acknowledgements I spied some words from the author that this would be a series! Hang on… happy dance needs to be done…ok it’s out my system temporarily!

I don’t know how long I will have to wait (please don’t be too long!) but I can’t wait to catch up with everyone again! I will say for the record Miller was a despicable man! He disgusts me, he was grotesque and glad that he didn’t get away with anything with the boss!

This book is superbly creepy! And if it wasn’t let’s just add a cabin in the woods to help with that! I could feel the cold and hear the whines of the wind in that empty wood as I was completely immersed in the story. Time stood still and it was just me and the words on the page as they screamed at me to keep reading. Teasing me with snippets of the truth knowing it would entice me to not stop reading. Hats off to Wendy, she has created a new series I really want to invest my time in, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this book.

I really do recommend this book to everyone who loves a good thriller. I also love that there is enough material in this book alone to set up further books in the series, I can’t wait to see where we go with this!!

This is a police procedural with a bit of a unique twist....

Who deserves to live and who deserves to die? Things aren’t always as black and white as that, and things aren’t always as they seem... A woman is found hanging without any identification, it appears as a suicide... another woman has been found after an overdose, another apparent suicide? There appear to be too many similarities for this to be coincidental, both are women living on the fringes of society, with less than stellar track records....

Dean is determined to find out who is killing these women and making it look like suicide, and more importantly why? Dean, was not a very likable character in the beginning of this book, although I must admit by the end he had won me over! The story was uniquely structured, we were privy to who the bad guy was far ahead of Dean... now usually I like solving the crime right along with the detective.... however, in this book this slightly unusual approach works really well.... A layer of tension was added as we watched Dean discover the truth....

The perfect book for crime thriller lovers, where appearances can be deceiving...

*** A huge thank you to Ruby Fiction for my copy of this book ***

I have given Who Cares If They Die 3 solid stars.



This is the first time I have read anything by this author and the rather intriguing title and blurb compelled me to read this thrilling story.



I did find the book rather slow to begin with and struggled to actually get into story but once the story started to move along and things began to happen I found myself really getting into the story.



I am not one for suspense, so the fact that the killer was unmasked early on appealed to me and kept me turning the pages to find out why the character was doing what they were doing.

Some parts of this story were actually quite funny and had me laughing out loud, which helped to break the tension of this story as Dean gets sucked further and further in to the mystery surrounding Jane Doe's Death.


This is a good read for anybody who likes thrillers.

WHO CARES IF THEY DIE by Wendy Dranfield is a gripping, twisted tale of murder and deception that will have you double checking your doors at night.

When a woman's body is discovered hanging in Maple Valley woods, almost everyone is ready to call it as a suicide but there is just something about the scene that sits wrong with Officer Dean Matheson. As he tries to piece things together it isn't long before there is another dead body and this one is certainly murder. While the team does the best that they can, Matheson is also dealing with the fact that is marriage is falling apart and his growing attraction to the new counsellor in town. But when the killer gets very close to home, it could destroy everything that Dean holds dear and may even cost him his life.

I really enjoyed this police procedural story that has compelling characters even though I didn't always like or agree with them. I have to admit that I figured out the who but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story as I needed to find out the why and with moments of excellent tension, WHO CARES IF THEY DIE by Wendy Dranfield really sucked me into the story without much effort. This is a crime fiction story that is sure to creep you out and is definitely worth reading.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

First off let me start by saying how amazing Wendy Dranfield's scene setting is. This is something that I noticed from page one and which continued throughout the book. Her method of description was so impressive because it didn't read like scene setting, it read as impressions.

Told in the  third person (subjective) , point of view This fast paced intensely, suspenseful, thriller kept me on my toes and turning pages, long after I should have turned off the lights, and gone to sleep.  I needed to see what happened next, and no way was I going to let a nasty cold and the late hour stand in my way.

I liked Officer Dean Matheson, the more I learned about him, the more I liked. On the whole he was a thoughtful, ambitious officer, who felt genuine concern for the people that he dealt with.

I suspected early on who the killer is, but I don't think that in this case it was accidental because it made for an incredibly tense story-line. I am not going to step into spoiler territory, I wanted to mention this so that people don't give up and go to the last chapter. If you do that then you are missing out on a great read.

This was such a great suspense and will keep you on edge throughout the who book.

Small town life will kill you… literally!

For a boring little town, Maple Valley, Hampshire is vying for murder capital of the country.

An apparent suicide begins to take on the trappings of murder, but before ducks can be lined in a row, more deaths occur. Officer Dean Matheson dreams of earning a detective’s shield, and solving the mystery behind the woman found hanging in the woods could be his winning ticket but he needs to 1) avoid the lazy, glory-seeking detective assigned to the case, and 2) learn to keep it in his pants!

Dean, Dean, Dean! Geeze. He believes Detective Miller’s dislike for him is holding him back, but nope. Dean is holding Dean back.

Estranged from his wife because he had an affair with the medical examiner for a few months because he was needy and grieving after his brother’s suicide, (what-everrrrr, Dean) he was sizing the new prison psychiatrist up only seconds after she sat next to him at the diner’s counter. *Hard eye-roll, but holds back from flinging Kindle* So Dean, Sheila, and Beth are on my adults-behaving-badly list early into the read. Wife Linda was hiding her own sins, but Dean didn’t know that until later. However, he did react like an hypocritical ass when he found out.

Had Dean not been so single-minded… and easily manipulated, he might have solved the mystery from the woods… like I did, and this read would have been less than fifty pages! 😀 HA!

The murderer was good though, and not just in method but also persona, playing a role for all of the town, though different with each person encountered. Attention to detail was meticulous. Choosing a small, rural town was genius. The killer stays under the radar because everyone knows everyone and is in their business. Perfect. Makes me wonder exactly how long the planning took, and just how crazy is the criminally insane… crazy like a fox? And why is this killer… a killer? WOW! NICE plot twist!

Choice of most victims, unfortunately, was spot on. Their character wasn’t just questionable on some pious level, but their behavior and offenses were facts most of Maple Valley knew about so their deaths aren’t questioned at first. One is even seen as a win for the victim’s abused fourteen-year-old daughter, so who cares if they die? NICE!

As information about the serial killer—and the dead—comes to light, Dean sees the full picture, but it’s good old-fashioned police work by retired Maple Valley Detective Jones which breaks the case. Dean’s mentor and idol does the leg-work and figures it out. But will he do it before more lives are lost, including Dean’s? Loved Jones!

The spins and twists of Who Cares If They Die will keep mystery and suspense lovers turning pages right up to the end and I highly recommend it.

This is the first book by this author that I have read and it wont be my last.
I don't usually read crime fiction books, for me it's usually mystery/thriller books. But I really enjoyed this book.
We follow Officer Dean Matheson, he wasn't to be more then just a cop. So when women keep turning up dead with it staged like a suicide, Dean gets the chance to prove himself as a detective.
But Dean's personal life gets in the way of his work and things take a turn for the worse.
In this book the killer is identified quickly, and for the rest of the book we see Dean and the police department try to put the peices together to figure out who the killer is. Even though the killer was identifed early on, I felt like it didn't ruin the story at all. We still had to read on to find out the motive of the killer, and there was a unexpected twist towards the end.
I really enjoyed this book, it did take me a while to get into but once I did, I was stuck in and had to keep reading to find out what would happen next and if they would be able to peice together the puzzle.
I will definatley read more books by this author and I'm excited to read the next book in the series and see where Dean will end up!

This is my first but definitely not my last read from this author.

Officer Dean Mathieson dreams of becoming a detective. When the opportunity arises for him to show he’s got potential at being a detective he jumps right in.

A woman is found hanging from a tree. It’s looking like a suicide but Dean thinks otherwise. When more bodies are found Dean tries to find similarities with the deaths.

Although the killer was revealed earlier on in the story I really liked this read.

Officer Dean Matheson has his hands full, his marriage is on the rocks, he has little respect for his new boss and a young woman's body has been found dangling from a tree in the sleepy town of Maple Valley. The death hits a personal nerve for Dean who is still recovering from the death of his brother and he is determined to uncover the truth.

Meanwhile, Beth Smith, a British psychiatrist arrives in the town to offer counselling to the inmates at a nearby women's correctional institution. There is an attraction between Beth and Dean but with an ex-lover on the scene and a marriage in tatters, who will he choose?

Other deaths occur and the case becomes more complicated. Dean is desperate to prove himself and further his career but personal matters get in the way.

I flew through this book, it had just the right amount of suspense to keep my attention and characters who certainly kept me wanting to read more. I warmed to Dean over time, at first he came over quite arrogant but his relationship with Rocky, the dog, showed a much softer side. At times my heart raced as I worried about Deans safety and the ending was gripping and really well thought out. If this debut novel turns into a series I would be eager to read more about Dean Matheson's career.

I really enjoyed the suspense in this story. For the first half the reader wonders, like Officer Dean Matheson, if the victims were murdered or committed suicide. There are a few suspects but little motive until all is revealed. Unlike other books though it then becomes a race to catch the murderer before Dean becomes the next victim. This means we have the psychological suspense of who did it and why but also the suspense of being up against the clock even though we know the identity of the murderer. It's a deadly game of cat and mouse that will keep you turning the pages. Very well done!

I have mixed feelings about this book but it is an appealing read. I failed to warm to Dean, the main character who is seeking promotion, and found it all just a bit too simple. It was quite humorous at times and there were some good twists in the story. I disliked the character of Beth but who could fail to love Rocky the dog. I would read another by this author as I think there is more to come. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy. Reviews on Facebook and Goodreads with Amazon to follow.

Officer Dean Mathieson wants more than anything to become a detective. When the current detective has a heart attack, Dean has the opportunity to solve a crime ... and shorten his wait for a gold star.

A woman is found in the woods, hanging from a tree. No one knows who she is ..and remains unidentified. Dean suspects the suicide has been staged.

And then another woman is found dead of a drug overdose. Although totally separate ways of killing occurred, this one also looks like a staged suicide/accident.

When more bodies are found, Dean starts looking at what ties them all together. They are all women ... with children ... what they call the dregs of society. They are addicts, criminals, and they have all abused their children in one way or another.

The killer is identified early on the book, which came as no surprise. Without spoilers, Dean's personal life plays a big part of the mystery. Not everyone is who they say they are .. and the motive is blurred. This is more of a procedural in crime detection rather than mystery.

Dean is a multi-layered character. His personal issues overshadow all his professionalism which is a big challenge for him ... and those who are close to him.

Many thanks to the author / Choc Lit - Ruby Fiction / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and I thought the plot and the way the whole story was put together was really clever. I liked the pace of the book and the building tension and the clues being revealed piece by piece. I would definitely recommend this book and I will be looking out for the sequel.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.