Great story that kept me reading, not wanting to put the book down. This is a dark and twisted story, fast paced and well written.

Gritty and disturbing thriller,not for the faint hearted. Tough yet troubled female detective still recording her last case. A good read with lots of twists.

D I Eleanor Raven returns to work after recovering from being kidnapped from a killer.
She thrust straight into a case to find a new killer
This book is a fast paced thriller which gets you hooked it has a bit of everything
Good read
Thanks NetGalley

Chilling and disturbing and frighteningly believable !.A must read ! Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book ! #Netgalley #Bookouture #PerfectLittleDolls

DNF for now. I'll come to it. I need to read the first one in the series first. Sorry about that. I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Very good Read! I did enjoy this book but it did seem slow for me for awhile. Some parts made me cringe because the detail was so vivid. It made me feel like I was there watching everything the murder did to one of the girls. It was very gruesome. Which I do like but this was so different (but un a good way). This book had a very different type of storyline to it. Of course it was a detective story but I have never or could never imagine a murderer killing victims to turn them into dolls. I also liked that the detective's personal struggles was a part of this book. This was book 2 in the series and I could follow along but I think it would had been better to read book 1 first. I do recommend this book to thriller lovers and individuals who like detective books.

Eleanor Raven is back at work after  recovering from the dreadful events of her last case. Her partner has requested a transfer as he is struggling with guilt over their last case together. Eleanor is determined to prove she is well, she is recovered & she is back on form. A body is found at the dump & the autopsy reveals that the woman has been dead for a lot longer than first thought. She has been embalmed. More bodies turn up, also preserved & it seems that the preserver is getting better at it.

It was a creepy & gory read with a particularly deranged villain. I picked up this book because I thought I had read the previous book & had liked the main character. However I discovered I hadn't & I didn't very much. This might have influenced my feelings towards the book. This one wasn't really for me. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

DI Elenor Raven is fierce, complex, and troubled. Still haunted by her last case that left scars, mental and physical, DI Raven is put through her paces to solve this case. A woman is found in a landfill fire, but she's been dead for ages, but was preserved. Then, another has been found. 
The bodies are stacking up, and Raven can't breathe. 

A killer is on the loose, patiently wanting perfection. 

Raven goes too far, again, but this time in her personal life, and is taken off the case deemed unfit for duty. No one sees connections like she does - no one else can connect a missing boy to the murdered and preserved women. No one else can get there in time. 

Fast paced, and well written, this is a great crime/thriller novel featuring a very complete and complex female protagonist.

TRIGGER WARNING: this book deals with sexual topics including necrophilia
An embalmed body is found on a Canadian landfill site, sparking an intense investigation for Detective Eleanor Raven. She is recovering from the emotional and physical damage from her last case and needs to focus on the present as other potential victims go missing...
There is a lot of fallout from the previous book which I have not read. Perfect Little Dolls works well as a stand alone book but I think I would have enjoyed seeing Eleanor's character journey. I'll be honest and say that Eleanor is not immediately likeable due to her confrontational personality, however I had definitely warmed to her by halfway through the book.
Eleanor has complex relationships with her colleagues. Guilt and bruised egos fester away and isolate the characters from each other. Eleanor feels like her personal life is under scrutiny by her work partner after revelations in the last book led to the endangerment of her life but she continues to follow her physical needs.
We know from quite early on who is responsible for the discarded body. I was a little disappointed by the ending as I wanted more explanation of the killer's motives. Having followed him throughout the book, I felt invested in his story so it felt abrupt and left unanswered questions. Indeed, I almost cared about him as I felt there must be some emotional basis for his actions.
Perfect Little Dolls is a fascinating book due to the uniqueness of the lead detective and the perspective of the killer. However, it is not always an easy read due to the intensity of the topic and grisly details of body preservation.

Pretty Little Dolls gripped me from the very beginning. A dark, compelling, fast paced thriller with so many unexpected twists that you can't turn the pages fast enough.

The story was so well written, with great characters that kept me invested in the story from beginning to the end

Book Review for Perfect Little Dolls by Karen Long
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

The second book is a really worthy sequel to the series. I really liked the way Laurence and Eleanor’s relationship developed throughout the story and the characters are also well developed, so it was enjoyable to read through the book. The detective always impresses me.

Thank you for the advanced reader copy to NetGalley, Bookouture and Karen Long.

Bizarre yet tantalizing -this novel goes where no one dare go before!
It's a unique set of circumstances that we find here as we embark on this weird sensation that something is truly off.
Why would someone take a young boy's trains? Where is Tommy? Who would take a child playing in his room?
Add this crazy display with the fact that DI Eleanor is recovering a kidnapping and torture while her partner (Whitefoot) requested a transfer (unable to deal with it all) and you got yourself one heck of a story.
This felt to me as being a little too out there and far fetched. I couldn't really get into the plasticized human remains found lying around (embalmed) nor the skeletal skulls.
Why?
Low and behold a girl was found after a fire-but she was long dead before it happened- and Eleanor now feels she has something more to prove about her worth.
This part about DI Eleanor's worth and value rubbed me the wrong way and then when she's replaced it really went far South.
Will she now focus on fighting to stay alive or is the truth about fighting for the victims and gaining justice for them?
When we learn about a man named Toby (Museum Worker at Rom) taking home bodies as a keepsake for this make believe 'Family' it was just too much. The discussion into his M.O. and reasoning bordered insanity and how he handled the victims was sickening before and after death.
It will bring out the chills so read this with a good nightlight and a nice warm cup of hot cocoa. Lol!
Thank you to Karen, the pub, NetGalley, and Amazon Kindle for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

This second in the crime thriller series featuring DI Eleanor Raven and her colleagues at the Toronto Police Homicide Division is every bit as action-packed and suspenseful as the first. In this outing, the team is confronted by unusual burnt remains at a local landfill. When questioned, the somewhat handicapped worker and entry grade sanitation officer who lived on site claimed that he thought the body was actually a mannequin. 

Eleanor is returning to active duty 6 months after being horrifically injured in a previous case and still undergoing psychiatric evaluation in order to determine her fitness for her job. As she and her partner, Detective Laurence Whitefoot, begin the investigation, they find that the victim was a transsexual who frequented a local bar when she disappeared over 2 years ago. When links are connected to another murdered woman and then a kidnapped boy, Eleanor and the team discover that this killer may actually be trying to preserve his victims with some sort of sick embalming methods. Can the team piece together this extraordinary story in time to stop this disturbed psychopath? NO SPOILERS.

It was great to read this one immediately after the first and I enjoyed it immensely. A very quick read and fast-paced narrative will keep you glued to the pages and you'll want to finish in a single session. I like Eleanor, even though she's as messed up as every other female detective in this genre lately, because she's tormented in a different way. Typical of the trope, she often goes off on her own and has trouble with relationships which ends up putting herself in peril. I hope that future books will see her settling down a bit and that she will find continuing therapy beneficial. I'd like to see more development in the partnership between Eleanor and Lightfoot, and hope to learn more about the other characters as well. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.

*thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Karen Long for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


3 stars.

Ohh this was a hard one and one that I am struggling to review because I am in two minds about it. 

Before I begin, I haven't read the first in this series and while it's not necessary, I think it would probably have let me know that the main character, Eleanor, isn't my type of person. I normally really like these kinds of detective stories so that's how I know it was the character and not the main storyline.

In the first quarter of the story, is a scene that really knocked me sideways. I hadn't expected it and it really disconnected me from DI Eleanor Raven and from there onwards, she left a bitter taste in my mouth and I found myself disliking the story because my respect for her was gone.

But I tried to put that aside and focus on the story. Pretending that scene wasn't there and I then found it to be otherwise well written, intense at times, and quite interesting. So I have two frames of mind for this. But in saying that, I know my opinion on what I read is based on my personal issues and others wouldn't be bothered by it which is why I tried to read it from another perspective.

I can see that this book is clearly enjoyed by others so for that reason, I would suggest you give it a go but as this is my opinion and my view of the story, I had to add how it affected me.

While I wouldn't continue with this series, I would give this author another go.

Perfect little dolls is a crime thriller, when a preserved dead body is found at a tip DI Eleanor Raven is called to the scene on her first day back to active duty. Eleanor is still recovering from her near death experience from her last case, she clearly still has issues. But Eleanor can see things others can't, when two more dead bodies and a young boy goes missing she suspects there's a link, however everyone else doubts her. 

I haven't read the first book in this series and after finishing this book and even knowing the outcome of the first one I will be adding it to my TBR list. I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. The narrative is in third person but yet I felt quite a personal connection to Eleanor and Toby. What I loved so much about this book is we know who they are looking for straight away as we get his story parallel to the investigation. I really felt the tension raising throughout the book. Would they make it in time or not. 

DI Eleanor Raven is a fantastic pragmatist she is not perfect by any means and has clear psychological issues. I found that made her character more endearing to me than if she was just this perfect detective. I loved the inclusion of her therapy sessions throughout the story. It really helped build a narrative surrounding her. 

The "bad guy" is an interesting choice. I felt quite a pull towards him as a troubled man who just wants love. But he also clearly was a sociopath. It's great honestly! 

I would totally recommend the perfect dolls, it reads well as a stand alone but I would definitely suggest reading the first book in the series if you are a lover of crime thrillers therefore when you read this one you won't read loads of spoilers. However saying that I haven't read the first book and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you are a fan of Katerina Diamond, Micheal Connelly or Belinda Bauer you will love this! Happy to rate 4 stars.


Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and author for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my fair and honest opinions.

When an oddly preserved body is found in Toronto’s biggest waste dump, DI Eleanor Raven is the one who catches the case. Nothing adds up from the beginning, and soon Eleanor has more than one body to deal with, as the killer starts trying to cover their tracks… while looking for his next victim.

Eleanor has her own demons to battle, apparently left over from the case she had to solve in the first book in the series. I hadn’t read it, but didn’t feel too lost; there was enough detail for me to understand what was going on - and very nearly enough to tempt me to go straight out and buy book 1, which I might have done if my TBR list wasn’t taller than my leg at the moment.

There’s some very interesting themes explored in the book. One of the victims is a (partially transitioned) trans woman, whose gender identity is treated with respect throughout, thankfully, and she isn’t the only trans character so it’s not a ‘bury your gays’ situation - just a sad reflection of the dangerous realities faced by too many trans women in society. Eleanor herself is an unpartnered (bisexual) sexual submissive who indulges in some potentially risky behaviour in order to find the release she needs, and she also has very obvious PTSD. Her counselling sessions are described on-page, something that doesn’t happen often enough, particularly in crime thriller series such as this where the protagonists suffer major psychological and sometimes physical trauma. The twist is a little different too, and while we know who the killer is from early on as we get scenes from his point of view, it’s fascinating to delve deeper into his mind and discover just how twisted he is as the story progresses.

I don’t know enough about tissue preservation to know, but it certainly read as authentic and like the author has really done their research into how a sick individual with the right skillset might go about fulfilling a genuinely horrifying fantasy. I was riveted, staying up late to finish the story, and therefore I can’t possibly give it less than five stars.

Gripping, dark, and dangerously twisted, Karen Long has given birth to a horrifically fascinating tale! 

Detective Eleanor Raven is definitely a favorite when it comes to roguish crime series leads! I just could not get enough of this leading lady! She has a defined love/hate personality; there's zero in between. I loved her myself; she has a wild temperament, but she means well and somehow usually always ends up being right! Her work with Dr. Seb and her internal, mental explorations was fascinating and showed growth within her character. I wasn't too fond of her partner, though; hopefully Whitefoot will grow on me in book three - now that he's (hopefully) started to actually understand and appreciate Eleanor. I did enjoy her ex-partner, turned advisor’s bits, and her boss’ support - it's nice to see this in a crime series. Additionally, the banter between characters Timms and Wadesky worked out brilliantly; their interactions helped break up the case(s) tension and generally just made me chuckle! I love a good set of characters! 

I won't rehash the entire book blurb, but I will say this.. while told mainly from DI Raven's point of view, I enjoyed the author's creativity when it came to the killer's perspective. As the reader, the question was never who was responsible, but rather what, why, when, where, and how. I found this quite exciting, as many detective novels put the majority interest on who, but with this book, we get that pretty much right from the start when the narratives switch. 

Perfect Little Dolls went farther than I'd imagined it would; I'll be having messed up nightmares for days! I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I’m interested in finding out if Eleanor continues with her BDSM escapades, how her partnership with Whitefoot develops, and just what twisted tale Long comes up with next! 

This is yet another Bookouture book that I'd be thrilled to recommend. Many thanks to NetGalley, the author Karen Long, and the publishers at Bookouture for my advanced copy of this ebook and my spot on this Books-On-Tour event!

Perfect Little Dolls by Karen Long is the second book in the series featuring Detective Eleanor Raven. This book is ok to read as a standalone but having the first book under your belt first does give you the opportunity to understand Eleanor completely, as she isn't exactly a straight forward character and it does take a little understanding to earm towards her. 
This instalment sees an embalmed body being found on a Canadian landfill site, this starts an intense investigation for Eleanor. We see Eleanor still recovering from the major fall out from the first book and she is determined to focus on the case in hand and not the past. The people begin to go missing, the question being, can Eleanor save them before they end up like the body in the landfill? Or will she run out of time?
I enjoyed catching up with Eleanors latest story and have to say that her uniqueness as a person does make this series stand out. Her relationships with her work colleagues are at the least prickly and she feels like her work partner is watching every move due to events in the previous book did lead to Eleanor bring put into danger. These situations make for an Eleanor who isolates herself away from her colleagues while they tiptoe around. I was once again back with Eleanor feeling the pressure of the investigation.
This killer is revealed early in this story and we have that perspective throughout to give us even more depth to the story, creating a quite different story yet again. 
Altogether a great series that has you waiting impatiently for the next, that's after devouring this book in two sittings off course!
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the copy of the book for my review today

For my fellow thriller readers – What does it say that we’ve become so de-sensitized to murders that a thriller isn’t perceived as good unless the murders are overly gruesome?  Are we crazy? I think we’re crazy.

Perfect Little Dolls will fit the bill for gruesome murders. This is one I’ve not seen before and therefore, was highly entertaining! The serial killer is introduced early on and the focus of the story is how DI Raven is able to track the murders back to him. The story is fast-paced and interesting. 

Having not read book 1 first, it was still easy to jump right in and learn about the characters. It also has a surprise BDSM scene dropped in that I wasn’t at all expecting (Hello!). The author does some nice drops of information that were relevant for the reader to know about from book 1.  It sounds like Book 1 was also amazing. 

I have no doubt that this is going to be a great series!