This book was so great and Marie Tierney is definitely going to be an author to watch out for! I love that even though the main character was a teenage girl, the book itself was not young adult. (Young adult isn't my preferred genre, so usually when the lead character is a teen, it's a turn off for me.) I think that's such an interesting scenario! The characters throughout the book were so well written. Although it wasn't a big secret as to who the killer was (it seemed pretty obvious about halfway through the book), I don't feel like that detracted from the suspense as the end of the book approached. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading whatever Marie Tierney writes next!

A solid, atmospheric thriller. The plot is sharp and believable. I think the narrative could be a little tighter, particularly concerning the POVs of certain characters that feel repetitive and a bit of a slog. I really enjoyed the young protagonist who feels real and is easy to root for. This is dark subject matter, make no mistake, and cozy mystery readers should look elsewhere.

Such a good thriller/police procedural for the season! Set in 80s England, a young girl named Ava stumbles upon the body of a teenager during her nightly search for dead animals (hey, we all have hobbies!) and tries to help the police track the killer without letting them know she's just a kid. The plot and vibes are genuinely creepy, and I did not see the big twist at the end coming! It's slow at first but I was fully invested when it started to pick up about 30% in. Would be fun to follow Ava and the police detective in other books in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel. This police procedural focuses on a precocious 13 year old girl named Ava with interests in forensic pathology and criminal psychology. She happens upon a young boy's mutilated body and joins a hunt for a serial killer. I found Ava to be a vibrant character. I also felt that the descriptions of 1980s Birmingham were very realistic, especially from a young girl's perspective. The problem is that the identity of the killer is telegraphed early on, and most of the story is predictable from that point on. By 65%, I started skimming because I knew what had happened and what was going to happen, down to the last scene. I need at least one good twist in a serial killer novel. If there are no twists, the author might as well tell part of the story from the killer's point of view to add interest. So big thumbs up in terms of character and setting, big thumbs down in terms of plotting.

"Deadly Animals," the debut novel by Marid Tierney, is a haunting and unforgettable read. With its dark and unsettling atmosphere, it masterfully weaves suspense throughout the narrative. Set in 1980s England, the story revolves around a serial killer targeting young boys within a tight-knit community. The protagonist, Ava, is an unconventional yet immensely lovable teenager who plays a pivotal role in assisting the police with their investigation. This gripping tale will linger in my thoughts, both for its merits and its darker themes, for a long time to come. It's a book you won't want to miss!

(Rounded down from 2.5)

I am seeing the many great reviews for this debut novel and I am glad people are enjoying it, but it didn’t do it for me.

Starting positive: I enjoyed the main character quite a bit. Due to the structure of the narration, we didn’t spend as much time with her as I would have liked, especially in the back half of the story. But I thought she was interesting, unapologetic, confident, and had a rich set of relationships, some of which were complicated and problematic and others of which were uplifting and empowering for her. So, I liked her quite a bit, and while we didn’t get to spend much time with most of them she had an interesting collection of other children as ancillary characters around her. Additionally, I thought the writing itself was, overall, good. For the most part it didn’t feel forced, the dialogue felt genuine, and it suited the story being told.

Other than that, well, I had some problems. While I liked that the chapters switch POV, giving us the adult/detective perspective along with the child’s, the adult perspective was often dense and dull. And this narrative technique didn’t make the book feel urgent, instead it felt like it dragged on, way longer than it needed to. The pacing really made this difficult. Especially as the killer was pretty clearly indicated at somewhere like 30% - 40% into the story. At first I thought it might be a red herring, but then it just felt like all the “clues” were hitting me and all of the characters over the head again and again, without any other potential culprits. Knowing the killer that early can still make for a tense game of cat and mouse, but that wasn’t the case here, it felt like it just made everything slower, and frustration with the characters get more pronounced. The world building and setting felt really generic. I could place it in any small town in the early 80s, sure, but nothing felt specific or really brought me to that time or space. The adult characters all felt like caricatures. Firstly, the amount of disclosure and child endangerment to a 14-year-old child was appalling, especially but not including he final sequences of the story, even for 40 years ago. Plus, there was what felt like an apotheosis of the police, every one of them always a shining example of doing the right thing, and yet they also seemed wildly inadequate at their jobs in any meaningful way. Often stories with child protagonists have somewhat incompetent adults, that is a familiar trope, but here it felt like we were expected to side with them and be impressed by them, our protagonist was, she never felt she was working against them, and that just made them more frustrating. And while the actual culprit and their motivations were interesting enough, it was laid on really think in the final chapter and the epilogue in a way that felt a little icky. It is hard to really say why without spoilers but what could have been an interesting psychological grey area was just given a heavy-handed black & white solution that basically absolved individuals for things in ways that felt unsatisfying and felt like it was kneecapping the more complicated and messier ending she had created. I think these things piling up are what turned me off, as any one or two of them would have been fine… But mediocre world-building, slow and drawn-out pacing, a mystery that isn’t much of a mystery from very early in the story, poorly developed and unbelievable adult characters, and this attempt at the end to have your cake and eat it too that just neutered the potentially interesting psychological exploration of the culprit… Add all of these together and it just made the whole back half of the book somewhat of a chore, and not very satisfying at that.

The main character is really promising, as are many of the (child) ancillary characters. And while the culprit was very obvious, none of the clues or indicators subtle, the overall idea behind the murders and violence and pathology also had a lot of potential. If the story was a little faster paced, the clues a little more subtle, a few more (believable) red herrings thrown in, and the adults not be cartoonish, and it would have been a really stellar read. So, no, it didn’t work for me, but it feels like there is a lot of potential and it is still impressive as a debut novel. And it was willing to violently murder children, which not everyone is willing to do, so the author definitely gets kudos for being willing to go there. Hopefully her future work will be tighter and hit a little harder for me.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Henry Holt & Company, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The language, the setting, Ava - I loved this book and couldn’t put it down! Figuring out who the murderer most likely was early on only added to my enjoyment of the story. A classic in the making.

This book wasn’t really my reading taste, but I think it will be hugely popular with fans of Chris Whittaker. (And there are many!) I loved the young protagonist and the many British words and turns of phrase were really fun. It’s a little darker and gorier than Whittaker’s novels, but I would recommend this to readers who loved All the Colors of the Dark.

14 year old Ava Bonney is fascinated and extremely knowledgeable about dead animals knowing everything about their bodies. On evening as she sneaks out to check on the decomposition of her corpses she finds the body of a boy who’s been missing for weeks. As more are killed she figures how hard can it be to track the real killer. With a unique plot, a wonderful and unusual main character, and sharp writing Deadly Animals is not to be missed.

Great book. I would recommend to others. Love the cover and writing style. I would read more books by this author

Decomposing animals, neighborhood boys turning up dead, and a creature stalking the woods with glowing eyes.

An exciting, twisty, and thrilling psychological horror that grabbed me from the jump and didn’t let go. The plot was fast paced, the psychology behind the case was excellently researched and implemented within the story, and the characters were beautifully drawn, seeing the world and what is happening around them in their town through the brutal honesty of a child’s eyes.

Ava is the star of this show; an incredibly intelligent child, though strange to some of her peers, she leads the reader through the plot with determination, protecting her friends and developing new, honest relationships along the way.

A transportive 80's crime thriller set in Birmingham, England, I was hooked by the details and imagery of the writing, finding myself impressed by and feeling protective of Ava as I read. Though the identity of the killer is made obvious to the reader a little more than halfway through, the drama and tension didn't cease, as the characters are still left in the dark right up until the end.

A stunning, well-executed debut!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately I was unable to finish this book but I have decided to refrain from sharing any reviews online. I gave the book until 25% but I was having a difficult time connecting to Ava and buying into her being far more educated/skilled than the seasoned detectives on the murder case. I was also put off by the way the men around her were treating her, the "you're so mature for your age" overtones were offputting.

Wow this was such an entertaining mystery read. Yes the character is a child, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a YA book. This had me looking over my shoulder. It’s like a mystery and a lit fic had a baby. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and can’t wait to pick up my shelf trophy. Thank you for the chance to early read ❤️

Weird, wonderful, dark and beautiful. It's impossible to discuss the plot of this book without giving it away, but suffice to say that everything, to the final moment, is handled with a kind of care and tenderness that makes the gut-wrenching violence that much more harrowing and meaningful. Holy shit!

Oh my goodness I love this book so much. The mystery and nods to lit fic. It had all the weird girl vibes in it and I loved it!

Deadly Animals was one of the most unique mysteries I have read. I loved that the main 14 year old character was really into learning about decaying animals and their bones. I went in believing this book was YA given the main character was a teenager. It is not YA at all. This book was very creepy and gruesome, so I absolutely recommend checking trigger warnings before reading.

The writing in this book was so beautiful and I was shocked to see it was a debut novel. I look forward to seeing what else Marie Tierney does in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully written and smartly constructed mystery. The story keeps a steady momentum forward, the dread and atmosphere building and building. White the protagonist is a child, this is billed as an adult novel, not YA, and that shows in the gruesome descriptions and darkness weaved throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Deadly Animals was a unique mystery novel, but in some places it felt a bit long and the descriptions were almost over the top in how gruesome they were. It was a very creepy and interesting plot, however, you knew more as the reader than the characters in the novel did at some points which was a bit disappointing.

Finding a dead body is not normal. But Ava is not a normal teenager." This gripping opening line perfectly sets the tone for Deadly Animals, a chilling and beautifully crafted mystery that delves into the unsettling world of teenage obsession and murder.

Ava Bonney, a fourteen-year-old with a compassionate yet peculiar disposition, is a character who will intrigue and captivate readers. Her fascination with the macabre, particularly her study of decomposition, sets her apart in a way that is both disturbing and fascinating. Living beside a highway that constantly yields roadkill, Ava finds solace and purpose in her nighttime rituals of examining and recording these unfortunate creatures. This dark hobby is a window into her complex psyche and adds an unusual layer of depth to her character.

The plot takes a dramatic turn when Ava stumbles upon the body of a classmate. Her immediate fear of exposure and the subsequent anonymous call to the police creates an intriguing conflict. Detective Seth Delahaye’s investigation into the classmate’s death throws Ava into a whirlwind of danger and deceit, as teenagers in her town begin to vanish under mysterious circumstances.

The tension escalates as Ava finds herself both entangled with and working against the police. Her determination to uncover the truth and her personal stakes in the case are compellingly portrayed. The narrative explores Ava’s race against time and the potential danger she faces, driving home the intensity of her quest for answers.

The writing excels in creating a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that underscores the story’s suspense and emotional depth. Ava’s journey is both a personal battle against her fears and a larger fight for the safety of her peers. The blend of her dark curiosity with the high stakes of the mystery adds a unique twist to the traditional whodunit formula.

In summary, Deadly Animals is a masterful blend of psychological intrigue and dark mystery. It showcases a young protagonist with a disturbingly unique obsession and a plot that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Ava Bonney is a character who lingers long after the last page, making this book a memorable and thought-provoking read.

This book is so well written, and I really enjoyed the characters. By the conclusion of the novel, every plot point is addressed and woven beautifully into the story. Very well done! Amazing that this is the author’s first book. I’ll definitely be adding her to my list of authors to watch for, Older high schoolers who love horror and true crime will adore this story. However, I’m a little surprised, given the nature of the murders, that the main characters are only 14 at the start of things. I know Ava is a prodigious child, a young Sherlock, but sometimes, that is taken a step too far. No child is perfectly correct all the time, and there are times where I felt annoyed because everything comes so easily to Ava. Otherwise, it’s perfect for teens.