Fade to Dead

A serial killer known as “The Director is taking young, blonde pretty women off the streets to act out his depraved fantasies in his films. DI Jessica Wideacre has been tasked with catching him, it’s a first big case, and there are plenty of people out there that would love to see her fail, her boss for one. As the case wears on and more women are slaughtered, Jessica begins to lose heart. She begins to doubt her ability to catch the killer and every aspect of her life begins to suffer, including her marriage. The only place she she can go to relax, to where she’s not being judged is at the bottom of a bottle. Moore writes with passion and expert knowledge of police procedure. Jessica is one of the most flawed and most realistic heroines I have read in a while

A classic who-dunnit that will keep you glued to the plot from start to finish.Full of twists and turns the plot keeps you guessing until the final reveal.I look forward to more from this Author

Wow, this book certainly impressed me. It really only took a few pages for me to realise how much I enjoyed Tara Moore’s writing style. A standout for me is the detail and background the Author has put into the Characters. One things for sure, if you are young, slim and blonde then it would probably be a good idea to stay home with the doors locked. The Director is abducting young women a bit too easily, and the number is climbing rapidly. Detective Jessica Wideacre’s relationship with her husband is a bit fractured, with her phone constantly interrupting them. With the bodies mounting there’s no opportunities for any personal time, and her marriage is in desperate need of it. However with a sadistic serial killer roaming the streets, the pressure is on to catch him. I would never have guessed who the killer was in this story. That definitely added a nice twist to it. I really look forward to more from this Author in the future. Do yourself a favour and read this book, you won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an arc from net galley in exchange for an honest review. When a serial killer, the director, starts snatching young women off the street to 'act' in his movies, Jessica is tasked with apprehending him. It's her first major case and the opportunity to prove that she's not just the token woman promoted to satisfy the pc Brigade.
Wow. Absolutely fantastic read. I loved the story and the characters. I loved Jessica. She was my favourite character. Wow. What a read. It wasn't who I thought it was. It definitely wasn't what I thought.
I loved the ending too. Highly recommended.
5 *.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Urbane Publications for a review copy of Fade To Dead, a police procedural set in London which focuses on DI Jessica Wildacre's hunt for a serial killer. The Director is kidnapping teenage blondes, torturing them, killing them and displaying their bodies in public parks.

I understand that this is a new direction for Ms Moore but she has taken to the genre well and has written a clever, taut novel which held my attention throughout. It is fairly standard fair until the twist at the end which I found surprising - brutal murders, clueless police, protagonist with domestic and work problems and an early reveal of the perpetrator to the reader - but it is well done and absorbing. I felt ithe investigative side flagged somewhat in the middle with nothing happening and the author turning her attention to Jessica's troubled home life but I assume this is fairly typical of real life investigation it isn't all go, go, go.

I like Jessica Wideacre and think she is a good protagonist. She is driven, dedicated, too honest for her own good and like many successful women comes in for a good deal of flack from disgruntled colleagues and family. I look forward to reading more about her.

I have no hesitation in recommending Fade To Dead as a good read.

A fantastically written, pacey book with gritty likable characters. This book was gripping from the start and I felt almost as stumped as the police in the book. What a magnificent twist there was. I seriously loved this book.

This is a real gritty and fast paced book. Set in London with Jessica as the great lead character. The story kept me guessing right to the end. A great story about a deranged killer with believable characters. Thank you Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Goodreads.

When young blond attractive women start turning up murdered and obviously tortured DI Jessica Wideacre realises she has a serial killer to catch. She has a good team but she doesn't get on with her boss and she finds it hard to hide the fact. I hope there is more of Jessica to come, thank you for the ARC

Wow ! I don't think I was expecting this book to be so good but it totally knocked me for six. Brilliant.

A gripping detective story that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
Jessica is a recently promoted DI, seemingly in a misogynistic force. She has her own domestic issues with her family and hindrance at a job she loves and is seemingly good at, which starts to question her confidence. Girls of 15-16 start to go missing and are then found murdered with "The Directors" calling card literally attached to them. The force have little to go on which adds to Jessica's lack of self- esteem.
This is a well written book with chapters that flow and keep you turning. I was recommended this book by a friend and am glad I found it.
Nothing too gory, nothing too far- fetched, just an excellent story with flashes of humour, domestic life and those relationships we all either know or see in everyday life.
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review

I would like to thank Netgalley and Urbane Publications for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

FADE TO DEAD is a London police procedural introducing DI Jessica Wildacre and her investigative team in their search for a serial killer.

The Director kidnaps young blondes, tortures them, kills them, and then displays them in public places. With the body count as 6 and climbing, Wildacre has her hands full.

She was recently promoted, which didn’t set well with her supervisor, who spends a lot of time thinking of ways to get rid of her. Her husband has the chance to take over a company job … but it means leaving London. Added to the work stress is the home stress. Throw in a dysfunctional family and the geyser is about to explode.

The story premise is a good one, although what one would expect. The characters set it apart. As a protagonist, Jessica makes this a much better book. She’s tenacious, stubborn to a fault, dedicated, and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. This doesn’t always endear her to everyone, but that is who she is.

There were some twists along the way, but the ending was the most surprising.

This was the author’s first crime book and she did a masterful job of making it a page-turner. I think we’re going to see a lot more from her.