Harper McCain #2

Harper McClain is a crime reporter. A woman is killed in the heart of the affluent district, Savannah. But this story is personal. The corpse is familiar. Naomi Scott was only twenty four years old, a law student wh was working in a bar to make ends meet. She had been gunned down, but no one had witnessed the shooting. There are three suspects: her boyfriend, who has a criminal past, her boss, who had stalked another bartender two years ago, and the district attorney's son, who Naomi had dated until their relationship ended in acrimony. All three men claimed to have loved her. The pressure is on Harper to go beyond the murder. With more layoffs at the newspaper her boos fears both their jobs are on the line. Someone familiar and dangerous is watching Harper's every move.

Harper is still getting a frosty reception from Savannah's police department after trying to solve her mother's murder. Savannah is filled with influential families and lots of tourists. The characters in this novel are believable and I did like a Harper for several reasons: she's tough, determined and let's nothing get in her way whilst investigating. I did not realise that this was the second book in the Harper McClain series when I requested this book. Although it can be read as a standalone, I really do think you need to read the first book to get some of the backstory. A thoroughly good police procedural.

I would like to thank HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Christi Daugherty for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The second in the series for crime reporter Harper McClain, but the first for me, and I don’t feel like I’ve missed out by not reading the first in the series.
I absolutely loved this book and will be looking out for the first book.

When 24 yr old law student Naomi Scott is shot and killed, there are 3 suspects, Harper McClain uses her instincts and own experiences to set about investigating the crime in the hope of catching the real suspect.

A fast paced, exciting thriller which kept me guessing throughout.

Thank you, first and foremost to the publisher and author for the chance to discover this series. I shall have to read book 1 though. Book 2, "A Beautiful Corpse" was brilliant. I really enjoyed it. A different angle for me on a murder. Crime reporting. Not read this genre before and really liked it. I loved the dogged determination to see the case through and find ways of catching someone who thought they were untouchable. I shall keep an eye out for this series in the future.

Wow, what a fantastic book. I only just read the Echo Killing which is the first book in this series earlier this week and I wish I had gotten into this series sooner. A Beautiful Corpse I felt was even better. I started this on Saturday night and couldn't wait to finish it this morning. And now that I have finished it I am already desperate for book 3! The way this book ended left it wide open with questions... questions that I am dying to learn the answers to.

It is a year since the events of The Echo Killing and Harper McClain is back doing what she does best at the newspaper. As the crime writer she is kept busy in this Savannah town, but after her actions she is on the outer with the local police. One night she is drinking and playing pool with her best friend Bonnie when a call comes in of a shooting in the tourist district. The 2 head over to the crime scene but soon realise that the victim is Bonnies co-worker Naomi Scott. Naomi's boyfriend is immediately under suspicion and arrested. Harper gets into the investigation and learns that there is another suspect, who has strong connections in town. The harder she looks the more danger she is in.

I love the character of Harper. She had a rough start to life - that you learn all about in The Echo Killing. Events in that book also devastated her. Her love life is also a mess but she gets on everyday, without a lot of sleep. She is stubborn and refuses to back down, even when her life is being threatened. But she is loyal to those that she loves, she would do anything to protect them. I look forward to learning more about her as the series continues.

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

This was an absolutely fantastic follow up to The Echo Killing, the first in a series. I love the main protagonist Harper McClain, a crime reporter from Savannah Georgia. The writing flowed beautifully from page to page and I really enjoyed the mystery and Whodunnit. I loved Harper’s own story and her relationships. A fantastic story. And a great follow up. Highly recommended.

I didn't realise that this is the second book of a series, but it didn't matter. An excellent thriller and one that kept me turning the pages from start to finish. I hope to read the first book shortly (The Echo Killing). I am not going to write what the story is about as i prefer one to read the book for themselves, but i do recommend.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review.

A Beautiful Corpse is the second novel in Harper McClain crime reporter series set in hot and humid Savannah, Georgia, and I already have a feeling that this is going to be added to my list of most engaging, exciting series of which I should never miss an instalment. This is crime fiction at its most entertaining, and Daugherty's characters are easy to support and invest in, especially feisty Harper. After flying through the first couple of pages I knew it was going to be a night of no sleep as I wanted to find out what happened to the victim; I was more than happy to dedicate those hours to reading rather than sleeping. The writing flows beautifully from page to page making devouring it in a single sitting the only viable option.

This fast, pacy crime tale can be read as a standalone without any problem, but I advise not missing out on the first novel even if you decide to pick it up after this. Cleverly written with a well thought out plot, this is a damn good read. It is a little predictable in places, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The descriptions of the simmering Georgian heat were enough to make me fall in love back here in the chilly United Kingdom. If you prefer your crime to be credible and believable then this is a good choice; the author packs the book with authenticity and you can tell that her previous job as a crime reporter has informed her work. I look forward to getting my mitts on the third instalment.

Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

Harper ! What a girl, excellent thriller about this firebrand of a journalist in Savannah,GA. the city itself plays an important part of the story and those who know the city at all will be delighted by the landmarks in the story. Harper and Luke is a good ongoing story as is the niggle of self doubt that a young woman developing a career in a cut throat industry. The story itself is intelligent and gives just enough for you to doubt the obvious. Even when it is very clear who “done” it, how on earth can we prove it ?

Next book is intertwined and I look forward to reading it

I really enjoyed the first Harper McClain book and this one is even better!
Harper is a crime reporter and up until recently had a great working relationship with the Police.
Due to a conviction that happened in the first book, most of the Police have turned against her.
Someone she knows from the local bar is murdered and Harper is determined to find the killer. However, with the Police not being on her side, it proves tougher than she thought.
As well as hunting a murderer Harper has to deal with her own problems and starts to get worried when someone breaks into her home.
It’s worth reading the first book to get the background story for this book but there are some explanations to help if this is the only book you’ve read.
This is a great read that will have you on the edge of your seat.
I love Harper’s character and can’t wait to find out what happens next.
Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Not sure at all about this book, maybe would have related to the character if I had read the first book. Shall revisit at a later stage

Crime reporter Harper McClain is enjoying a late night of pool with her best friend, Bonnie, at the Library, where Bonnie tends bar, when Harper gets called to a murder scene downtown. As Harper is well over the limit, Bonnie gives her a lift. Both women are shocked to recognise the victim as the other Library bartender, Naomi, who had only left work an hour or so before being shot.
The police suspect her boyfriend, Wilson, (because it is usually the boyfriend/husband), but Naomi’s father is convinced that Wilson is innocent. Harper, needing a good story, promises to look into Naomi’s death, and the possibility that someone other than Wilson is guilty – although she does no hold out much hope. Wilson’s alibi cannot be verified, and his actions following the murder raise a lot of questions. There are two other potential suspects, both of whom have a history of stalking: one who is drinking himself into oblivion; the other who has a completely watertight alibi, AND whose father is the district attorney, with strong links to the police and to the owner of the newspaper, for which Harper works. Harper is told to back off the rich kid, Peyton, but she, and I, and everyone else wants so much for it to be him, as he is such a nasty person. If he cannot be charged with Naomi’s murder, then you really want him to be thrown in jail for something (not fussy what).
While Harper is trying to solve the murder, she is fighting a vindictive police force, who have never forgiven her for causing the arrest of one of their officers. Her ex is back in the picture; an unknown someone is stalking her – breaking into her home and car; and the newspaper is gearing up for massive redundancies. This story might save her job – but it could also be the one that sees her and her boss sued by the district attorney, and both fired by the paper’s owner.
Harper is a fully developed and sympathetic character, whom you really want to succeed. But sometimes I felt, she had too much baggage / backstory. The ending was clearly setting up for the next book, which might involve her finally finding her mother’s murderer. I would very much like to read another book similar to this one, but I am not sure I am interested in the mother’s story. The other characters are also very believable. I particularly liked Naomi’s father, the newspaper editor, Baxter, and Detective Daltrey.
The book started reasonably slowly (after the initial murder scene), but bit by bit cranked up the pace, until it was impossible to put it down. The main story is very well thought out, with sufficient twists and turns to stop it becoming predictable. One thing I particularly liked about this book, was the focus on the devastating impact on an innocent persons life, when they become a suspect in a police investigation.
I would recommend this book to anyone, who wants a slight twist on a police procedural.

Harper McClain is a reporter and one that seems to have antagonised the police force and when one of the bartenders at a bar she goes to is found dead and lying in a pool of blood the cops are freezing her out of the crime scene. However Harper will not give up without a fight and when she thinks the case is going in a wrong direction she cant help but try and 'solve' the murder herself, she is a fiesty character and yet she is also quite loveable too and I totally enjoyed the book.
I hadn't read the first in the series and that didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book but I will go back and read it to see more about her background and just what caused the rift with the cops. I will definitely be on the lookout for the next in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of the book.

A taut American thriller from the perspective of a journalist. Her friend is murdered and the police seem inclined to suspect the fiancé who has no alibi. Two other prospective candidates are in the offing though and the journalist takes on the case for her newspaper. and herself as the police are definitely reluctant to do so. There are clear links to a previous book, namely the problems she has with nearly all of the police officers involved, but there is sufficient back story to understand these problems. Although a journalist she has strong ethics as well as determination. Context is well described and the story moves along rapidly. The old story of 'money talks' gets a thorough re-working along with police and newspaper politics and these add something to the complexity of the story. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins publishers for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

An exciting thriller that is hard to put down. The first Christi Daugherty novel I've read but definitely not the last.

Thanks NetGalley for my copy.

The mysterious, intriguing story Of A Beautiful Corpse by Christi Daugherty, is of a crime reporter named Harper, who’s life becomes a crime novel itself.
This kept my interest all the way through!
Strong female lead.
Strong Four stars.

At the end of 2017, I randomly happened on The Echo Killing on Netgalley and, after reading the blurb which I found really intriguing, I requested it. Then I read it and became obsessed with the novel and since then I have been waiting for its sequel, A BEAUTIFUL CORPSE, which I read in one day and which left me excited and impatient to read the next one.

It’s set in Savannah, Georgia, where the summers are hot and dry and where there are enough crimes to keep our protagonist busy. Who is the protagonist? Meet Harper McClain, a young reporter who covers the crime beat which means that she usually works at night and sleeps during the day (although, I have to say she doesn’t do much sleep during the day). When she was twelve years old, Harper’s mother was killed and she was the one who found the body, but the killer was never found. Now, someone is clearly after her, breaking into her house and leaving notes into her car, but she also has other things that keep her quite busy. First, there is her job. Naomi, a young woman who worked in the same bar with her friend Bonnie, has been killed. The police suspect her boyfriend, but Harper has her own theories and she becomes quite involved in the case. Also, the Savannah Police, who she once considered her family, is now shutting her out following the events in The Echo Killing, making it very difficult for her to do her job.

Now, let’s talk about her love life. In The Echo Killing, Harper had a brief but intense fling with Luke, a detective, but things didn’t end well. However, a year later it seems that it’s not over between the two of them and I have to say I am becoming quite invested in their love story so I am really looking forward to see what happens in the next book.

I really like the character of Harper, a strong-willed, independent, and clever young woman. Her life gets more and more complicated, both personally and professionally, and she is an excellent journalist who doesn’t stop until she finds out the truth, even if that means that often she finds herself in danger and the target of a killer.

A BEAUTIFUL CORPSE is fast-paced, suspenseful, and intriguing. The author knows how to captivate the attention of the reader with a clear and simple prose, beautiful descriptions of Savannah, engaging characters, and a riveting and gripping plot. If you are looking for something addictive and thrilling, then I highly recommend A BEAUTIFUL CORPSE (and The Echo Killing), while I will be waiting for book number 3!

Let’s get this out of the way first; I’m not oversold on the title of this novel. Whether a corpse is beautiful or not is pretty irrelevant and the title bears very little relevance to the actual story.

This is fast paced thriller, set in Savannah, Georgia, featuring crime journalist, Harper McClain. It is the second book to feature this character. I haven’t read this first but I don’t think that detracts from the enjoyment of this one. A young woman, known to Harper and her friend Bonnie, has been shot dead. The police immediately assume that her boyfriend is the perpetrator but the victim’s father is convinced of his innocence. He knows his daughter was very afraid of someone and this turns out to be the son of a very wealthy and powerful member of the Savannah community. The son, however, has a very solid alibi. The police also turn their attention to the dead woman’s boss, at the bar where she worked. Harper is convinced that she knows who committed the crime and the book follows her investigations and the danger she puts herself in.

This is a cleverly written novel with an entertaining set of characters. It ends with a bit of a cliffhanger which I assume will be followed up in another novel.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

I was sucked straight into this, but then realised that it's the second book in a series. I immediately stopped reading, bought the first book, tore through that and re-started the second! The Savannah setting was gorgeously written, and such an elegant city is a great contrast to the crime depicted. There were enough secondary characters to round out the story without overwhelming it, and the press-police relationship was really insightful - you can tell the author is writing from experience. The only negative is how long I'll have to wait for the next in the series!

This is the second book in a series featuring a crime reporter called Harper working for a local newspaper in Savannah. A young law student who worked part time as a barmaid in a local bar frequented by Harper is found murdered in the tourist district. When she feels an innocent man is in danger of being charged with the murder, Harper feels compelled to undertake her own investigation. She has a complicated history with the local police force which has yet to solve her own mother’s death several years earlier.
This is a well written book, but I found the plot quite predictable.
I would like to thank the author and publishers and NetGalley for a free advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I so enjoyed the first in the series, 'The Echo Killing' and this is a good follow up, just, in my opinion not quite as good. It seemed to be missing something.

It's a good story about our lead journalist, Harper McClain, who is being ostracised by the police, due to her previously exposing corruption and how she becomes embroiled in a murder, the victim, slightly known to her. This and her ongoing difficult relationship, make for a good read. I just felt it lacked something. So, for me, it was a good, easy, holiday 3* read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview in exchange for this honest review.