Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Thankyou NetGalley, Troubadour Publishing and the author, Stephen Collier, for the opportunity to read Driving Dead in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Unfortunately, I had trouble getting into the storyline and couldn't connect with the characters.
Not a book for me.

Enjoyed the storyline and really liked the development of the two main characters. Would have preferred a more substantial motive and exploration of the motive.

Jake Jordan and his team are called in to investigate a series of traffic collisions leaving many drivers dead.

Discovering a water bottle laced with a substance which causes drivers to have seizures and die while driving, Jordan enlists the help of Kirsty Kingsfield, Forensic Pathologist.

The murderer always seems to be one step ahead ..... and the danger to them all may be closer than they realize.

This is a sequel to BLIND MURDER. The author has dropped enough information so that the reader is not lost of the backstory of these characters, but I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read the first book prior to DRIVING DEAD.

There's a bit of everything here .... a vicious murderer killing in a particularly brutal way, likeable characters, a budding romance, and twists and turns leading to a satisfactory ending. The author has used his experience as a police officer for 30 years to bring credibility to not only the story, but to the characters as well.

Many thanks to the author / Troubador Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

The prose snaps and pops with a fresh, nearly breathless energy , Collier weaves gripping drama in a thought provoking and suspenseful thriller.

The plot of Driving Dead was exciting. A murderer on the loose, drugging victims before they get behind the wheel. The victims have no idea they've been drugged until it's too late. I had a rough time getting into this book, though. It was most likely the fact that it so clearly is part of a series. The beginning tries to fill you in on characters and situations in such an unfluid way, that I felt a little lost and bored entirely. I continued to push through it, and eventually it was very entertaining. The book slightly reminded me of the Kay Scarpetta series, however it lacked the detail given to the crimes and bounced from character to character a bit too much. Perhaps, some of these characters have larger roles in other books in the series, but in this particular book, I felt some could be ignored a bit more or even left out.

This book drew me in and held me delightfully-captive from beginning to end. The plot keeps you guessing, the characters are realistic, likable and identifiable and the scenery is described in such a way as to make you feel that you are an actual bystander in every scene. Once I started reading this story, the desperate need for sleep is the only thing that made me put my Kindle down.

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley & Troubador Publishing Limited in order to read and provide a voluntary and honest review, should I choose to do so.

This was a so-so book for me. Not outstanding. Not bad. Just in between. I give it three stars because it really didn't stand out for me as that great of a read. However I finished the book, which is saying something.

Very fast paced, dramatic suspense/thriller with likeable characters and a lot of twists. I definitely would read more by this author, I think this was a really well written book!

Driving Dead is a gritty, realistic thriller about a series of interconnected crime and the Northamptonshire Police’s investigation into it all.

I was gripped from the start. To be honest, throughout the whole of the book i was quite confused about the histories of the characters, not realising this is the sequel to another book. You can tell the author tries to make sure everyone knows what’s going on but due to the rapidly changing POVs and multiple storylines I was left a bit lost a lot of the time. However the writing and main plot kept me reading and I really did want to know what happened next.

I especially liked the approach to modern UK policing and showing the true nature of ‘the job’, cutbacks and red tape. It’s a true insight into the realities of what the average copper has to go through in the call of duty.

One of this year's best! A great read interesting throughout with good character development. Recommend!!!

Overall this is a good read. It is a bit disjointed in places but the plot ideas are good. This book is worth reading and I would like to read more books by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Matador for the eARC.
Jake Jordan and his team are called to a horrendous car accident that kills the woman driving and seriously injures her family. When several more accidents happen, plus all the women look alike and a mysterious drug is found in their systems, they realize these are not accidents. They suspect a woman to be behind these killings and set up a sting. However, the female police agent who was the lure is herself kidnapped by the perpetrator.
Jake has been FLO to Christie, a pathologist, for more than a year, sharing a horrific incident, and they have become very close. He had a bitter divorce and she lost her beloved husband after the previous year's case and both of them are still raw, but slowly realizing they can rebuild their loved together.
I'm in two minds about this book; on the one hand I enjoyed it, on the other I felt confused at times...the read felt uneven. I believe I could have greatly benefited from reading the previous book for the backstory, so I recommend this book, but suggest readers read no.1 in the series first.

Very hard to follow and lots of extra “fluff” that isn’t really necessary. Unfortunately, I was unable to finish this book.