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.

I devoured this book in one sitting. It was a little different than I expected based on the description but an excellent read nonetheless. Ava was a great character, and her personality and fascination with pathology was so interesting. Delahaye is the kind of man you hope all law enforcement officers are. My only gripe is that I feel it had too many POVs. I understand the necessity for the type of story this is, but narrowing it down to the main characters would have given the author more opportunities to add depth to them. Despite that, I enjoyed this story very much. I can see how this could be a series with Ava helping Delahaye solve cases. I’ll be on the lookout for this author!

There are a lot of triggers in this book. Especially animal abuse and child abuse.

I compare reading this book to rubbernecking. At 40% in the graphic, grotesque autopsy description almost had me stop reading, but I needed closure and had to make myself finish this book.

There are a lot of characters to keep track of. Ava annoyed me and I struggled with her intense knowledge.

Parts of the book drag.

It is well written although the authors uses the word "fortnight" too many times. I would read future books by this author.

Finding a dead body is not normal. But Ava is not a normal teenager. In this chilling debut mystery, only the obsessive spirit of youth can save a sleepy town from the savagery within.

Ava Bonney is a fascinating protagonist. I really enjoyed this story and would love to read more stories starring Ava.

Overall, I had fun with this novel as it had an interesting premise and I enjoyed how the flow was constructed throughout the story. However, I will admit in the beginning, I believed that the pacing was slow, but that was rectified later on in the story as it progressed and ramped up. Also, at first, the usage of third person confused me as I didn't see the purpose, but as the story progressed, I understood why the author chose this format as it helped with fleshing out the character's line of thinking. I will say with this novel you do have to suspend disbelief as our younger main character is always ahead of the police and at times made me forget just how young she really is with the eloquence and sophistication that was brought upon by the author. Again, a very entertaining story that grabs your attention from the very beginning, just be sure to have fun on the literary journey!

Actual rating: 4.25 stars

I'm not usually one for real-world crime thrillers, but I was very pleasantly surprised by this book! The mystery itself is very intriguing, with lots of complexity and a well-handled reveal. Marie Tierney is really good at breadcrumbing us through the case; I was able to guess the person responsible, but not the actual twist itself! The pacing is tight, and while the really short chapters can sometimes be disorienting, I felt like it helped keep things moving.

I was a huge fan of Ava, the protagonist. I'm not sure if this was the author's intent, but as an autistic reader, I saw so much of my younger self in Ava, and it was a really rewarding experience. She's a wonderful narrative anchor, and it helped make the frequent character perspective changes a little less jarring.

I did feel like there were moments where the writing felt a little sloppy. There was missing or unnecessary punctuation, or very rushed description of location changes, and I had to go back and reread a sentence or two a few times. I also do, unfortunately, feel like this novel fell victim to the common ableist/sanist trope of "the killer is mentally/psychologically unwell, and it's made them evil" that's very common in crime thrillers. It wasn't egregious, but it was noticed.

Overall, this is a compelling, macabre, and thrilling crime novel that kept me engaged from cover to cover. This is an impressive debut!

Ava Bonney, at only 13, is uncanny, quirky, and a bit precocious. When she stumbles upon the body of a missing classmate, she realizes the police are going to need her unerring eye if they have any hope of stopping a killer. Interesting and unnerving!