Dead as Gold takes readers to the salt-worn edges of Morrow-on-Sea, where grief and longing cling to the fog as tightly as the town’s secrets. Adam Conlan, a goldsmith and single father, is just beginning to carve out a quiet life when Ophelia Richards, a writer wrapped in mystery and pain, arrives, asking him to buy her gold. What starts as a simple transaction quickly becomes a slow burn of tension, attraction and unease.
Burke-Patel masterfully balances the pace of a psychological crime novel with the poetic weight of a modern gothic. Faces appear at Adam’s window. Gold vanishes. A chilling gift arrives. And when death follows, so does the stoic and sharp-eyed DI William Kent.
The novel’s true brilliance lies in its weaving of Morrow’s eerie, whispered fairy tales throughout the plot. These dark, lyrical interludes echo and shadow the characters' struggles. These tales blur the line between fable and reality, asking a question that haunts the novel: who is a wolf, and who is a sparrow?
Atmospheric, lyrical and haunting. Dead as Gold is a modern gothic gem. This is a story about guilt and desire, family and the stories we tell ourselves to survive. Truly unforgettable, you will find yourself thinking about it for days after finishing it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

So good! Having loved I Died at Fallow Hall, I was excited to find another Bonnie Burke-Patel novel - and this one is just as solid a read. Burke-Patel is great at creating interesting and complex characters, particularly unapologetic female characters who refuse to conform to stereotypes.

As with her first novel, this book looks at people who are trying to make their own way in life and find happiness, despite issues haunting them from the past and obstacles in the present. I would describe this as a very well written love story with a murder mystery woven through it.

Goldsmith Adam leads a quiet life making pieces in his workshop and sharing responsibility for looking after his young son, Felix. Ophelia arrives in his workshop one day to sell some pieces of jewellery, which Adam is initially unsure of taking as they belonged to her mother. It's clear that Ophelia is somehow drawn to Adam, and seems to have decided that being with him is where she feels comfortable.

We get flashbacks to her earlier life, and particularly a strained and tense relationship with her mother, a famous artist. Ophelia's mother apparently gave up art once her daughter was born, implicitly blaming Ophelia and making her feel a burden. Her mother has also consistently undermined her throughout her childhood, whether it's comments about her weight or attacks on Ophelia's own art.

Ophelia has come back to the area, Morrow on Sea, to try and make sense of her history. As the book goes along we find out about a particularly fraught situation involving Ophelia and her mother when Ophelia was 13. This put more of a wedge between them.

Meanwhile Adam has also had a tough childhood - growing up without a mother and with a father who was distant. After a 'wild' period he ended up accidentally getting a woman pregnant (Julia), and decided to be there for his son. It's clear he feels enormous guilt about the careless way he turned Julia's life upside down, and appears to have kept himself free of relationships and sex ever since. But he is attracted to Ophelia.

I really enjoyed the scenes in the book where nothing much happens beyond the characters trying to take care of themselves and others - such as when Adam quietly makes Ophelia pasta and lets her sit quietly in his flat after she's been through a traumatic experience. It tells you a lot about the people and these scenes feel soothing.

The novel is threaded with fairy tales and folklore, old stories that have an echo in real events. It makes it almost dream-like in places.

The mystery plot of the book is good - Adam suffers a robbery at his workshop, the investigation into which exposes all kinds of secrets and sides to the people close to him that he had never seen before. It's truly good and there are many unexpected developments. There are lots of times when it's really hard to know who to believe, or who to suspect.

But I mainly loved the book for the characterisation, the relationship between Adam and Ophelia, and the reminder that self-care and quietly living life as you want to can be really rewarding.

I'll be looking out for Bonnie Burke-Patel's next book, and thanks very much to Netgalley for the access.

‘Dead As Gold’ is quite unlike anything I have ever read before and I am here for it!
Bonnie Burke-Patel combines gothic fairytale elements, an unconventional family, a love story, a dead body, symbolism galore and so much more to create a whimsical other-worldly setting for a tale of thwarted love and passion.
Goldsmith Adam creates wonderful works of art inspired by his passion for fairytales. He lives a solitary life with his son Felix, careful not to let anyone too close. Then Ophelia blows into Morrow, and everything changes. She is escaping a troubled childhood and family, looking for answers to lifelong questions. The two of them meet and begin a tender fragile friendship, both finding something in the other that they have been craving.
It is all woven together to create a delicate forest of dreams and nightmares, complete with wolves, princes, and gold rings

Intriguing, compelling, a dreamlike novel that mix mystery and myth
Loved it
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I absolutely loved Bonnie's debut novel 'I died at Fallow's Hall' and have recommended it to lots of our readers. Her second novel was eagerly anticipated and does not disappoint. Weaving gothic fairytale and crime fiction, it is such a compelling narrative. I can't wait to share it with our readers.

My Bookish Thoughts 💬
I absolutely adored Bonnie’s accomplished debut, I Died At Fallow Hall, so when she kindly offered me a proof of her next novel, I jumped at the chance!

Naturally, I had high hopes – Fallow Hall was one of my favourite reads last year – and I’m thrilled to say she’s smashed it again. Dead as Gold is a unique gothic thriller, deftly entwined with fairy tale elements. It’s atmospheric, mysterious, full of surprises, and features a brilliant cast of characters – one of which is the seaside town of Morrow itself.

I especially loved Ophelia, Adam, and little Felix. Kind and sensitive DI Kent, paired with the witty Culvers, made a wonderful detective duo. Huge congratulations to Bonnie for crafting another gripping and entertaining read – I’m already eagerly awaiting book three!

A huge thank you to @bonnieburkepatel @bedfordsq.publishers for this beautiful proof copy and @netgalley for sending me a digital copy in return for my honest review.

Oh what a joy this book is ..

It is part gothic thriller part fairy tale and tells the most unusual and brilliant story.

I loved getting to know the characters especially Ophelia she is a sad but interesting lady.

I loved this book so much I immediately told my book club about it .. they now all cannot wait to read it