Flowers for the Dead: An absolutely gripping serial killer thriller

Adam Bourne is a serial killer who thinks he is a saviour. He believes he is the perfect boyfriend. He pays attention, he buys flowers. He knows everything about Laura and looks after her every need. He cooks, he cleans – he even does the dishes without being asked. But Laura has never met Adam. Still grieving after a devastating car crash that killed her family, she’s forgetful and struggling to pull her life together. She’d be horrified to know the depth of this unsettling fantasy in which she is the star. After everything she’s been through, Laura’s ready to fight back and stop being the victim in her own life story. But in Adam’s world, there are no happy endings… I was attracted to this book because of it's cover and the premise and I was not disappointed! The minute I started reading this I was hooked and I couldn't wait to finish it. The book was written in such an amazing way, alternating between the past and present, so as to describe the abuse that Adam suffered leading him to turn into a psychopath. The main characters were written so well. While most part of the book I got creeped out by Adam, there were times when I actually felt bad for him and wished that he find the girl of his dreams. Laura and Mike were good too and it was interesting to see them both cope with their losses. The unique feature in this book was that each chapter was named after different flowers along with the meanings and significance of each of them. This was something interesting and knowledgeable. Overall, an enjoyable and creepy psychological thriller!

Oh my goodness, this is one twisted read and I loved every second of it! Never has a book gotten under my skin quite like Flowers For The Dead has and it will be one book that will stay with me for a long time to come…in my nightmares! It is a terrifying story, but one that I can’t recommend highly enough! Barbara Copperthwaite takes stalking to a whole new level with this story and it is not for the faint hearted. There were many times I had to put it down to get my heart rate back to normal and catch my breath. Every sound that my house made, had me jumping out of my skin and once when reading it in the middle of the night and my fur baby starting barking…I nearly you know what myself!! If you are a fan of the TV show Friends and remember the episode when Joey was reading The Shining and when it became too much he would put the book in the freezer, this is what happened to me! Ok, well not exactly, as I read this on my Kindle and couldn’t put that in the freezer, so put it in a drawer instead, but if you have seen this, you get the gist of what I’m saying! As a serial killer, Adam Bourne gives the likes of Ted Bundy a run for their money. He just chilled me to the bone. He has been perfectly created in this role as a monster, but on the flip side, did have me feeling sympathy for him which I struggled with. I mean how could I have these feelings after what he does, but as we are taken back into his past and learn all that he has been through, you can’t help but feel some empathy towards him. Barbara Copperthwaite has really outdone herself with this book. I have read other books from her, but this one is on another level and just draws you in like no other. It is compelling, gripping, intense and at times so uncomfortable, but you just can’t tear yourself away from it! It is a real page turner in every sense of the word and if I could just give you one piece of advice… read it in the daytime! Thank you to Barbara Copperthwaite, Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of Flowers For The Dead, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

What a crazy book ! You won't look at flowers the same way after reading this book. From the front cover to the last page I loved it. Adam is desperate not to be alone , so he has a bit of a stalking issue. Laura has survived a horrible family crash but it quick to think someone is coming in to her flat Adam , well he had the worst childhood (other than his Grandma but even her) I found myself afraid of Adam and yet I had a bit of sympathy for him , he was almost made into what he is today. Its gruesome, you will hold your breath, you will scream at the police to listen and most of all you will be turning the pages so fast. I can't wait to check out Barbara Copperthwaite's other books. Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture for a nail biting read. Don't miss this one!