Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book pre-publication. The story is different from my usual reading type and I did get to the end but all the way through I felt that there was just something very slightly off. I stuck with it but I felt that the main thrust of the book, bringing a baby to its parents, dwindled to insignificance towards the end. Unusual but not for me.

A super fast paced thriller full of mystery, intrigue and conspiracies. A very gripping and intelligent read. Sometimes hard to read due to the dark subject matter but very well written xx

Award winning Holly Watt's follow up to To The Lions, featuring investigative journalist, Casey Benedict, set in the newsroom of The Post in London, is an assured, superior and intelligent thriller that manages at once to be a fast paced, tense, compulsive and breathtaking read whilst simultaneously informatively and thoughtfully covering numerous,emotionally heartbreaking horrors and tragedies, the hell afflicting our troubled world. This is a story that begins with messages written on silk pieces discovered in clothes in a fashion store, they hint of desperate labour conditions in garment factories in Bangladesh, and the existence of international illegal baby factories set up to meet the demands for babies from the wealthy in the West through surrogacy.

So begins the dangerously deadly investigation led by Casey and her colleagues, Miranda and Hessa, that is to take her to from Harley Street, Washington DC, Greece, Bangladesh and Nice in France, taking her from the extremely wealthy end of the social and economic spectrum to the other, inhabited by the powerless, thought to be less than human, the refugees, the women, the children, the invisible, the exploited, abused, the enslaved, trafficked, the disappeared, those casually disposed of with barely a thought. Watt expertly plants metaphorical miniature grenades in the narrative, interspersing shocking pictures and examples of an all too real global litany of the never ending terrors of our cruel, barbaric and indifferent world, made all the more effective in their impact through their very unexpected appearances, leaving the reader little room to mentally arm themselves.

Helping Casey, is the ex-military Ed, both plagued by ghosts, nightmares old and new, fragments of glass piercing their dreams, knowing and seeing too much, never being able to forget. Watt is a talented storyteller, mesmerising, and utterly gripping, this is a smart thriller and series for all those of you jaded by thrillers. The unvarnished dark truths presented in the book had me despairing of the world we live in, replicating how Casey feels, but she refuses to let it stop her from acting, providing an all t00 much required spark of hope. We have a complex central protagonist in Casey, determined, haunted,engaging and charismatic, surrounded by a host of fascinating supporting characters that will have you immersed in the novel from beginning to end. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC.

It’s difficult to find a genuinely thrilling thriller. The Dead Line is a rare beast. A plot with intricacy and great pace. Characters that you truly cheer on. And recognisably well written but light enough that you can race through.

A read Holly Watt’s debut To The Lions when it was chosen as a best debut at the Theakstons Crime Writing Festival. It was good but not memorable. The Dead Line is more assured and I really appreciated being back with Casey and her colleagues. It could do with a an edit (notably the ending) but I would definitely recommend.

With thanks to Raven Books/Bloomsbury and Netgalley for an advance copy in consideration of an honest review.

Casey is an investigative journalist in London. Her latest story takes her all over the World following for leads in the remotest places.

This is a fast pace thriller with a lot of mystery and conspiracies.

I think Casey was a really well written character, very realistic and really personable. I really enjoy the interactions between her and her colleagues Miranda, Hesse and of course, Ed!

The narrative is really interesting and it does make you think of important issues that are present in the Western world.

The book flows easily and it’s incredibly interesting but it did feel a bit slow for the first part of it. It does get better and the story really takes you into an intriguing adventure within the realms of international journalism and investigation.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it! I can’t wait for future books by Holly Watt.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the opportunity to read this book prior to its publishing date in exchange for an honest review.

I had to give up reading this a couple of chapters in. There were numbers and symbols dotted throughout most sentences which made it incredibly difficult to follow and enjoy, as did the bad formatting meaning sentences would jump down a few lines mid sentence. Unfortunate as I really liked the sound of this book.

Casey is an investigative journalist working for The Post in London. Her latest story takes her all over the World following a lead found in the unlikeliest of places.

This book is a super fast paced thriller. To me it was reminiscent of Sam Bourne and Dan Brown novels with a contemporary feel as the leading characters race against time around the World to get to the bottom of a modern mystery of conspiracy and intrigue! This is a really intelligent book with a realistic and fearless female lead. It is a novel but it does really shine a light on serious issues across the World and the roll that the Western World plays in it considering all sides of the argument but without being patronising. The story isn’t sacrificed at the expense of making a point. The writing and the story work together perfectly. I shall definitely be following Casey as she goes after her next lead.

The second novel featuring investigative journalist Casey Benedict is a real triumph - well-written, cleverly plotted and compelling.
Casey is on the trail of a business selling babies born to trafficked women in Bangladesh (‘surrogates’) to posh women with fertility problems in the uk via a dodgy Harley Street doctor.
The investigation takes her and colleagues Miranda and Hessa, along with Casey’s sidekick Ed, out to Bangladesh and into danger.
Watt’s writing is staccato and can seem a little jarring at first, but it grows on you and she beautifully conveys her characters and the exciting world of international investigative journalism.
I read Watt’s first Casey novel and thoroughly enjoyed it but this one is even better.
Thoroughly recommended.