DCS Frankie Sheehan has been called to a suicide which she soon demos as murder. The victims husband has disappeared and then another body turns up which is too close to home for Frankie.
This was a good start to a series but I found myself distracted at times as I didn’t seem to like the characters but it won’t stop me reading the second or third one. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fast pace gripping read - set in dublin and featuring a new detecive, DCS Frankie Sheehan.

Starting with a suicide.... but leading to FOUR murders.... this has plenty of twists and turns.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This is the first book in a series, an entertaining read, and quite thrilling throughout. I haven't read anything by ms Kiernan before, so I was pleasantly surprised, and will look out for some more by her!
Recommended.

A good intro thriller but not for me, unfortunately. Just a bit too unconventional and predictable. I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed, unfortunately.

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

When Dr Eleanor Costello is found hanging in her immaculate home, something about the scene doesn't add up. DCS Frankie Sheehan, a trained profiler, is handed the case and immediately spots foul play. What at first looks like an open and shut case of suicide quickly starts to fall apart. Then a young woman from Frankie's home town is found dead. As details of her personal life emerge, a sinister link to Eleanor is uncovered.

As much as I really don't like leaving books unfinished, unfortunately I just couldn't finish this one. I got about 30% through, reaching chapter nine and I just couldn't read any further. The whole plot is just all over the place. The case itself has potiental, but with unlikeable characters and poor writing, I just got very bored very quickly. The story kept getting referred back to a past case of the main characters, but it's written in such a way as if readers already know what happened. I got very confused it's written as a sequel, even though this is the first book. I don't know if it gets any better by the end but this one just wasn't for me. 0 stars from me.

In Olivia Kierman's Too Close to Breathe we quickly discover the dark world of Dublin detective Frankie Sheehan in this compelling Irish crime story, where you literally will be holding your breath as you turn the pages!

When Dr. Eleanor Costello is found hanging in her home it's immediately thought of as suicide, but Frankie is quick to work out that foul play looks more believable and the doctor's husband is the main suspect, but he's nowhere to be found. Is he guilty or in trouble?

As Frankie delves into the case, and the tension builds, we visit the dark web and the use of chat rooms to track down the killer. I loved this creepy atmosphere.

This mystery, crime thriller deals with some terrifying murders, mix this with the Irish setting and some juicy characters, and it made for a great read. I have to admit I did struggle a bit at the slow beginning, there's a lot to take in and Kierman's writing style is actually quite different. But I am glad I carried on, because this soon changed into a terrific, and much faster read than I expected. The plot was intricately written with flashbacks and red-herrings only a skilled writer could pull off!

Frankie is the complex and flawed lead character that makes this series worth reading. It's a good start to this police procedural, with a great setting, and I'd like to see how this series develops over time.

This was a brilliant solid thriller. With a powerful female lead.
Fast paced, exciting and a brilliant debut.

Afraid to say that I didn't really get hooked by this one, and felt it descending into the same territory as many books before it.
Did not finish.

DNF at 24%.

This is possibly one of the most confusing police procedural novels I've read. It's the first book in the series it is honestly feels like its book two or three in the series because it constantly references a previous case, which isn't explained and doesn't really make any sense. It also jams so many characters in that I can't even remember who the main character actually is, and who is who. It was slow paced to the extreme and just not worth it.

And please, just stop with the bonsai tree.

Olivia Kiernan shows a lot of promise in this debut and series opener, based primarily in Dublin, it features some horrifying murders. A mesmerising mixture of murder, betrayal, and secrets, this is a police procedural that I very much enjoyed. DCS Frankie Sheehan feels like a character who has her own baggage, and story to tell, I do appreciate it when the investigators in a book are fleshed out in such a way as is done here. The author does a great job of developing her characters throughout the book.

I kept guessing and each time was proved wrong, which is the ideal in a title from the crime thriller genre. It is now so hard to rise to the top of this genre as there are so many authors writing crime now. There are so many, with a lot of them being just mediocre. This is definitely above average but it didn't blow me away. I hope to see Kiernan publishing more of her work in the future.

I would like to thank Olivia Kiernan, Quercus Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

I really enjoyed this book it had a new and fresh approach to crime thriller books, and I am looking forward to ready more books by this author.

Too Close to Breathe, is a police based mystery thriller novel which features some truly horrific murders. This novel is set primarily in Dublin, Ireland and did a fantastic job at reminding you of the setting often. The language often used in the book would have Irish slang in it, though it was easy to understand what was meant. The reader follows DCS Frankie Sheehan, as she investigates a series of murders, which don't always look like a murder from the beginning.

I wasn't the biggest fan of Frankie, I'm not sure whether it was because I was trying to read this book while very busy, or whether there was something more to this. I struggled to form any sort of bond with her, or care about her as a person in this story. I actually considered giving up on this book a handful of times, as I found her police scenes incredibly dull. What kept me reading however, was the amazing murders in this novel. That sounds strange but, they were fascinatingly gruesome and I just had to know who the killer was.

I'd be interested to see if I'd liked this novel more if I had the spare time to just sit and read it in one sitting. The book is written like a page turner, and difficult to put down and so is more than likely intended to be read in as few amount of sittings as possible. I only had time to read a few pages here, or a few pages there, and I'm sure this will have impacted on my overall enjoyment. That said, I still feel like this was lacking at times, and definitely dipped in the middle. This is worth picking up if you enjoy police dramas with horrific murders and suspense while trying to find the killer. Not the best book I've ever read like this, though certainly not terrible. This is a debut novel, and I can't wait to see this author grow, as this shows real potential.

This is a promising debut and series opener. The recipe for a decent series is there but for me this one felt a bit clunky. I found the narrative style a little irritating at times and Frankies' character a little derivative. I liked Frankies tortured detective character and I loved the setting and the obligatory grumpy boss. I'm just not sure that this book has what it takes to rise to the top of an increasingly crowded Dublin crime scene. I'll be watching out for book two though.

This is a brilliant debut from Olivia Kiernan, and the first in the Frankie Sheehan series.

DCS Sheehan is an interesting main character, with great instincts but a troubled past. The case itself is fascinating, starting off with what looks like a suicide but Frankie quickly realises there is more to it. As the reader you are continually kept guessing as to how everyone is linked and just how far the killer will go.

Every time I thought I had it worked out, there would be another twist which kept me engrossed throughout.

I love forward to seeing what happens next with Frankie Sheehan and where Olivia Kiernan will take her.

LOVED it! This is a series I would binge read if there had been more than one book. Frankie Sheehan is a wonderfully complex and flawed lead character. I found the writing to be excellent with just the right amount of humour to balance out the slightly disturbing subject matter. The twists within this story kept me hooked and I eagerly await the next book in this series.

5 stars!

Smooth, evocative prose. Well respected Chief Super and competent detectives. Well done debut novel and look forward to continuing series

This was a fast paced thriller, which I loved, it had plenty of twists and turns in it to keep me hooked. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Olivia Kiernan for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

Too close to Breathe has been described as a fearless, fast paced debut. I am inclined to agree on both counts.

Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan has just returned to her role after a period of leave, having personally been attacked in a previous case she has been investigating.

When the body of Dr. Eleanor Costello is found hanging in her home, the initial reaction is that she has committed suicide.

When it transpires that Dr. Costello was murdered, the immediate suspect is her husband, who is coincidentally now missing.

A local young woman is then found burning on a bonfire, with a curious piece of evidence that links the two victims unquestioningly.

The second victim is discovered in Frankie’s childhood neighbourhood, and the detective faces a difficult time when she must question some of her old neighbours that she grew up trusting beyond any doubt.

As the case develops and more suspects are thrown into the mix, Frankie quickly realises that she cannot trust anyone least of all those she thinks she knows.

Too Close to Breathe is a thrilling read and I look forward to the authors next!

A good read. I loved the fact it was set in Ireland. Might read the next book in the series. This is not normally the style of book I read and I kept reading hoping I would like it more.

DCS Frankie Sheehan, recently returned to work after being seriously injured on duty, is assigned the case of the apparent suicide of University lecturer Dr Eleanor Costello. Her suspicion of foul play is confirmed by a postmortem and when a second body appears she realises they are hunting a serial killer. Frankie is under pressure, she is being closely observed by her superior officer and is studiously avoiding the impending court case against the man who nearly killed her. Set in Dublin this is a clever and thrilling police procedural which reminded me of Tana French (one of my absolute favourite writers) in both the compelling writing and well crafted plot.

A police procedural lives and dies on the characterisation of its detectives and police officers and Frankie et al are wonderful, real, people. Frankie is brilliantly flawed and I loved her for it. I loved that she was damaged and putting a brave face on things, I loved her almost Sherlock style profiling where she sees patterns and behaviours out of nothing and I especially loved her bravery and tenacity. She is a strong, capable female lead in a book who doesn’t need a love story to define her which is so refreshing to read. Her relationships with her colleagues feel true; there is loyalty, trust and banter that doesn’t feel forced.

This isn’t one of those books where we get bogged down in long-winded descriptions of procedure and the minutiae of a police department. Too Close to Breathe’s plot carries it along at a brisk pace, the twists and turns feeling more like meanders that signpost the clues (which I was rubbish at spotting). We are taken along on an investigation into the death of Eleanor via the dark web when chat rooms become a tool in tracking the killer whilst flashbacks to Frankie’s attack builds the tension building within. The plotting is intricate and skilled and I admired that the team faced brick walls and difficult decisions in the hunt for the killer.

This is the first time in a long while that I have enjoyed a police procedural quite so much. It is a real page-turner (I read most of it in one day) and I found it incredibly engaging and entertaining. I am seriously impressed with the quality of writing and skill within the pages of this book especially when you consider that Too Close to Breathe is a debut novel. I am so pleased that I have found a new author and series to read and I’m awaiting the next book with bated breath. If you, like me, are a fan of Tana French then you will love this book. It is complex (but not complicated), dark, twisty (without being sensational) and with a brilliant protagonist – read it!