A Beautiful Corpse has a lovely down home charm as only a thriller set in the South can have. Taking place in Savannah, Georgia (USA) Harper McClain is a journalist who won't let threats to her safety keep her from discovering the truth behind A) her mother's murder years ago and B) the recent killing of acquaintance Naomi Scott. Who would want to kill a smart, twenty-something who is currently studying law?

Harper has one huge network; she knows nearly everyone in Savannah. More specifically all the outlets that matter most to her late night crime beat. Police and hospital staff are like extended family to Harper, very friendly... well, maybe a dysfunctional family as some police officers still hold anger toward Harper for her involvement in taking down one of their own last year. Our girl's got a lot going on if we add to her current investigations the fact that someone is breaking into her house with disturbing frequency and the reappearance of hunky detective Luke, who she still holds a candle for.

A Beautiful Corpse is a refreshing take on a police procedural from the perspective of a journalist. Lots of pressures to find facts and write it up in record time makes this novel a fast paced whodunit with polite southern charm.

A Beautiful Corpse was so enjoyable that I've just ordered the first Harper book and I eagerly look forward to the third! A strong five out of five!

I really enjoyed reading this book, it kept you engrossed right from the off until the very last page. I haven't read the first book in the series, but I enjoyed this one so much I'm off to read that one now too!

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this novel. It was OK but I didn't find it very original. A female main character; the handsome male love interest which was no more but both wished they were still an item; the slightly deranged baddie. No real surprises here. There was one unanswered question which did leave you wanting more but I am not sure that I actually do want more !

Harper is one hell of a woman and I loved her balls! She is the centre of this novel and she was perfect for it. It's a shame I did not realise when I picked it up that it was a sequel to another novel and now I'm too spoilt to read it because I adored Harper as a character, she was strong and fierce and vulnerable. Although the novel was a sequel, I didn't realise it until there was mention of previous events which did not deter from my understanding of this novel at all - I really appreciated that, and there was enough information there to understand what had happened in the past. The scenes with the hot detective were all that I lived for: angsty as hell. There was a lot of emotional baggage and mystery in that relationship alone so I am subscribed to this series because I need to know what happens on this hot front. 

This is a mystery/crime/thriller so there is enough murder to satisfy me, with plenty of suspects to choose from and added plot twists. I did feel like I was ahead a lot of the time and could see these twists just before they came into view so they weren't really a shock to me and I kinda knew at some point kinda who it was and how it could've been done. Maybe I am just that good, or maybe that was the weak point of the novel. However, the writing was beautiful and the pacing was good, keeping me glued to the screen.

I will have to keep my eyes peeled for whatever Christi Daugherty will do next and this is one of those series that I need to follow. I am definitely hooked. Maybe I will even go and read the first book later this year once I will forget details of this one.

Star 3.5

Reporter Harper gets a call from the photographer that a crime has been committed which he heard over the scanner, so Harper goes to write up a story, with her best friend Bonnie in tow as Harper is over the limit to drive. Once there, Bonnie recognises the victim as her work colleague Naomi. Who could have murdered her?

This is second story of the series, which I hadn't read the first (yet), but whilst there are references to the events of the previous story, it can be read as a stand alone if you want.

Quite a good story seen through the eyes of the reporter rather than the cops for a change as she tries to create the story for the paper, carrying out her own investigation into the perpetrator.

My only criticisms are the author does love to describe in detail the people Harper meets, with what they are wearing, height, age, etc - too much tell not enough show. Only one place is that useful and thats to indicate that a suspect has a type of girl he likes. And use of brackets, I dont like them in a story it bugs me! A couple of consistency errors spotted in timings and an empty lobby that then had people in it.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

My Review:
This is the 2nd book in the Harper McClain series, though it could be read as a stand-alone. Harper is a crime reporter for a newspaper and has a background with the police department. We are told that something that happens in book 1 leads to many in the PD keeping their distance from her.

In the 2nd book, there is a new murder mystery and Harper is determined to find justice for the victim. I found I was was trying to figure out who the killer was alongside Harper. I really enjoyed her strong, character. Her past is blended into the story and brings some tension as things from her past still haunt her.

A steady paced police procedural with a strong female lead that is easy to root for as she brings justice to the victims. I look forward to more.

This is a book about a crime reporter, Harper McClain, who works the late shift picking up police reports on crimes and goes to the scenes to get her stories for her reports. She then gets a crime close to her when the colleague of her friend in a bar she goes to is found murdered in the street.
Harper decides that she must help by finding out who did commit the crime and when the dead girls boyfriend appears to be the main suspect but the girls dead father says he wouldn't do it, she is more set than ever to find the truth.
It soon becomes clear that there are other suspect and one clearly stands on but has a rock solid alibi. Worse for Harper is the new suspects father is a big noise in the town and on her paper which makes it harder for her to bring to light a possible injustice or even another more likely suspect.

The book then follows Harper in her job and trying to find the truth of the murder. It paints a good picture of life on a small paper struggling to stay afloat. The characters are believable and the plot is ok. Harper also does set her sights on one person as the culprit and maybe more could have been done on looking at others as well which for me was skimmed and due to that it clearly showed who had done it. The question then was could it be proved. So you then go from a murder mystery to a lets prove how a murder was committed book.

On the whole it is an easy read and if the author hadn't been so insistent on forcing the issue of one character it would have been a better book. I was let down a little, as it's billed as a tense new thriller. It is tense at times but the thrill goes when it is obvious who they want as the murderer.

I started this a few times without getting any further than the first few pages, only because I wanted something less tense to read, eventually I was in the right frame of mind and found it to be well written and believable. The story line races along and I never felt that I could put the book down. I often find that journalists make the best thriller and crime writers as the genre is helped by tight, to the point, plot lines and writing style. I am looking forward to reading more by Christi.

This is the first book I have read by Christi Daugherty and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you ar a fan of Jeffery Deaver, Robert Bryndza or a lover of thrillers then this book won’t disappoint. Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.

I loved this book so much that I immediately downloaded everything else Christi Daugherty has written. It has all the ingredients for a great crime novel. I would suggest reading the first of the series before reading this. You won't regret it!

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

wow where to start...without giving any clues away...

we have harper a journalist who investigates crime, who is also recovering from her gun shot wound given to her by her mentor smith...who happened to be a police officer and is now in prison...

harper is chilling with her mate at a bar when she is called away to a murder scene, whilst at that scene she happens to see the victim and can identify her

the police are interested in the victims boyfriend for this murder...

what follows next is an amazing story written so well that you are drawn into the characters and you can feel their pain and anguish... loved how all the characters worked and how the story was drawn together

a brilliantly written murder mystery by a new author for me but one i am going to be following in the future...cant wait for the next book in this series

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy of what is the second in a series, featuring crime writer Harper McClain and set in Savannah, but it reads just as well as a standalone novel and will draw you in and have you desperate for the third.

A well written plot, not 'too American', as some can be, but realistic all the same. A twisting tale incorporating murder and violent threats which will reel you in from the beginning. If you enjoy murder thrillers then you will find this story more than satisfying. A great, compelling read with three dimensional characters.

The first book that I have read by Christi and certainly won't be the last. Gripped from start to end. Highly recommended

I really enjoyed this crime novel set in Savannah, USA. It was a different perspective with the main character being a journalist rather than a police officer, although Savannah Police Department is very involved. Harper McClain is determined to solve the crime, especially as she knows the victim, and her journalistic senses tell her the boyfriend is not the killer. There are so many undercurrents, with Harper being out of favour with the police, following a huge case which was the focus of the first book in the series. She battles on regardless. I was left wanting more and to see how / if the story of Harper and Luke works out, so will be looking for the next release by Christi Daugherty. I didn't realise at first that this was the second Harper McClain book, and I read the Echo Killing and now I'm right up to date. #netgalley #abeautifulcorpse

It’s the first in a while that I’ve considered cancelling a diary appointment to finish a book. I was loving this one from the start but from about 70% in I really didn’t want to put it down. Harper McClain is a great character and as someone who reads a lot of crime fiction it’s a welcome change to have a crime reporter as lead character. Of course I should have started with book 1 but this worked fine as a standalone and this was so good that I’ll be reading The Echo Killing as soon as I can. This is a series that I’m keen to follow and highly recommend it.

Second book featuring crime reporter Harper McClain, this time she is investigating the murder of a law student and the events that unfold afterwards, including plenty of references to the first novel.

Different view as it is not a standard police procedural novel, instead it focues on a murder from the press viewpoint and Harper McClain soon becomes entangled in the case in a dangerous way. Fast paced, with minimal description, Christi Daugherty has written an enjoyable thriller. Good enough to have the reader looking forward to the next McClain novel.

A fast paced thriller. The protagonist is a reporter, and so has more leeway than the more usual police detective. However, she doesn't have the back up the police have, leading to many difficulties.
I liked the characters, and the detailed plot develops quickly.
A good, quick read.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC

Once again I've read the second book in a crime series without reading the first one. What can I say, I think it's a good test of a crime series actually - they're the kind of book that people (not just me) pick up at a whim in a shop or online without checking where they're up to.

Anyway, Harper McClain is a crime reporter with a boss who needs stories NOW and a bartender for a best friend. Perhaps not the most original character ever, but hey she's fun and has a dark and twisty past (murdered mother in unsolved crime) so that works for me.

A young woman is found murdered in the city - and she worked in the same bar as the aforementioned bestie. Harper is immediately right in the middle of the case, much to the pleasure of her boss who then expects a front page story on it practically every day.

Harper doesn't have a great relationship with most of the cops (thanks to shenanigans in book one) so is left having to track down suspects herself. It isn't long until she's in danger herself...

This is a fun engaging read. Yes it's relatively lightweight and yes, I did wonder if it was really a good idea for a reporter to get quite so heavily involved in the actual detective work, but yes it also kept me turning the pages.

A Beautiful Corpse by Christi Daugherty was a brilliant read and enjoyed every page. This is the Second book of the Harper McClain series and it could easily be read as a stand alone book. Her first book was The Echo Killing and that was a brilliant read as well. It was fast paced throughout and the characters were brilliant they all worked well together. Looking forward to the next book of this series.

Big Thank you to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this brilliant book to read.
All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.