I love this authors stories and this was fabulous I loved it so much.  It really had me engaged, I was glued to the pages unable to put it down.  I got totally sucked into the story, and read it in one sitting.  It really was totally unputdownable.    Full of tension and suspense it had me sitting on the edge of my seat almost holding my breath.  A big thumbs up for Barbara Copperthwaite you knocked it out of the park with this one.

A really good compelling read. This story looks at 3 sides, the victims and the perpetrator and the police. Adam’s life is told a piece at a time so that the reader can try to work out what happened to him that made him want to murder people. It is an intriguing memorable thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Flowers for the Dead by Barbara Copperthwaite follows protocol for the all-too-familiar thriller/police procedural plot, but still manages to create a very unique and terrifying serial killer. 
The novel bounces back and forth between multiple characters, including Mike who is a recently widowed police detective. Nothing stands out about Mike. He's the typical damaged detective trying to balance his life as a single father with his career hunting the bad guys. He may be a little rough around the edges, but it's a given that he has a heart of gold. Laura is a young woman trying to bring herself out of the pits of depression after being the sole survivor in a horrific car accident that killed her entire family. There's nothing too memorable about her, but I did enjoy watching her evolve from a victim to a proactive and confident woman. 

While dealing with her grief, Laura unknowingly catches the attention of Adam, the psychotic serial killer and star of the story. Adam is unusual because he spends a significant amount of time wooing his victims. When he finds a woman who seems perfect for him, he falls fast and he falls hard. He sends these unlucky ladies messages via the types of flowers he sets on their doorsteps. He buys them groceries and tidies up their homes for them while they're sleeping. He puts their every need in front of his own. Sounds like a catch, right? The only problem is he does all of this in complete secrecy, using hidden surveillance systems to spy on the women who have no clue who Adam is. They all react to his attention differently. Some start to believe they're going crazy, while others just assume an ex is pulling out all the stops to get back together. One thing that stays the same, however, is that Adam eventually feels unappreciated, hurt, angry, etc. That doesn't bode well for the current recipient of his affections.

What I found to be unique about this novel was that the reader spends much of his/her time watching the story unfold through Adam's perspective. Most thrillers I read either ignore the serial killer's POV entirely as a way of keeping the mystery and fear factor high or they only give brief glimpses into the bad guy's thought process. In Flowers for the Dead, the author uses flashbacks to show the reader Adam's entire life, beginning with his childhood as a young boy and up to the present time. His younger years are not simply glossed over. While this does make the story's presentation stand out from a lot of the other novels in the same genre, I'm not sure if it was the best use of the reader's time. In fact, one of my complaints is that I feel there was far too much time spent on Adam's backstory. His experiences are quite heavy and if the point was to show how he evolved into becoming the monster he is later in life, that could have been accomplished in about half the number of pages. The extra background slowed the momentum of the story and caused me to feel like I was slogging through at a glacial pace.

Overall, the writing was great and the storyline was definitely very creepy. Readers with sensitivities should be aware that there were grotesque descriptions as well as disturbing child sexual abuse in the novel. Had I known about the latter, I probably would have skipped this read altogether, but that is my personal preference. If you're looking for a scary thriller to keep you up at night, this would definitely do the trick!

*Thanks to the author, Bookouture, and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

i so enjoyed .Adam has no look with women so he think he can save women he becomes a serial killer . but i kind of felt sorry for Adam he is quite loveable .the love the policeman and his daughter in the book highly recommend  very good story .

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exhange for an honest review.
I thought the book was an addictive, disturbing and chilling psychological thriller.
I found interesting to see how the character became a killer. 
I would definitely read another book by this author.

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!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Adam is basically a stalker. He does nice things for women he thinks he is in love with but they literally don’t know he exists. His latest “love interest” is Laura, who is still recovering from losing her family in a car accident 4 years ago. This book alternates between Adam’s time stalking Laura and his life as a child up until the present.

I am sorry to say this book was just ok for me. I think I skimmed the synopsis and somehow missed this was a stalker book. They aren’t really my thing because I feel like there are no real surprises or mysteries that unfold, it is just a story. This is my second novel from this author and since I enjoyed the previous one I will likely read more from her.

‘Flowers for the Dead’ is an amazing chiller. With every passing chapter I felt the hairs on my neck prickling with an uneasy itch. I loved that a lot of this book was written from the stalkers POV. This gave it a creepy edge, one in which I really enjoyed reading.

I quite often say ‘wow’ after devouring a book at speed. This took me a few days longer to read but it’s a mega wow. The story was epic as it spanned the years and took me on a journey. I felt that I wanted to take in every sentence as I didn’t want to miss out on the characterisation that was being built. I enjoyed savouring it all and taking my time.

Laura’s chapters gave me the shivers and it was great seeing Adam’s story unfolding, from childhood to present. I loved the symbolic use of flowers throughout, very cleverly used and researched. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves an absolutely chilling psychological thriller, one which will have you hearing things that aren’t there in the night and one that will shock and sadden at the same time. I’m still thinking about it now. It will give you the heebie jeebies - eek!

We've read many suspense or crime thrillers which are often based from the victims' perspective but rarely from the perpetrators'. "Flowers for the Dead" surprised me not only it is a story about the perpetrator but also, I've learnt quite a few things about flowers and their meanings at the beginning of each chapter. 

Adam Bourne is a serial killer who has murdered a few women whom he thinks they're his lovers. Adam would set his eyes on a particular woman, then he'd start to "serenade" her by leaving them flowers, doing their chores without her knowing that she is being stalked. Adam's initial thoughts is to find love through these gestures but what he's done has crossed the line and sent a danger signal to the woman. But eventually the woman always has no chance for saving herself, because Adam is always one step ahead of her and the police as well. Laura Weir is his latest target, and he intends to make hers his and this time around, he'd make sure that Laura would begin to see his sincerity behind his every moves. 

Adam's sinister mind and acts began to take a turn when the reader read about his past as a boy. Unlike the monster he is at present, young Adam was actually a shy boy who had utter admiration and love for his grandmother. Growing up with a father who was always at work and a mother who always belittle and abuse him, Adam sought solace in his grandmother's fairy tales and learning the language of flowers since she loved gardening so much. Through her grandmother's love and attention, Adam was able to endure all the nonsense and abuse inflicted by his mother but his tolerance and his mind eventually snapped after a love confession to a girl gone wrong and that his grandmother passed from a terminal illness. 

In many ways, this book read as a crime thriller. But, Adam's sad past also made this an intriguing case of character study as we watch how little, shy, eager-to-please Adam gradually becomes an obsessive and a frightening serial killer. Adam was, no doubt, a perpetrator but before that, he was also a victim so the reaction towards him wasn't only one-sided. On the other end, Laura Weir and Detective Sergeant Michael Bishop have their own stories as well so overall this was quite an engaging read and of course the best thing is, knowing the language of flowers.

This was a disturbing, creepy but addictive read!  Adam just wants to be loved but goes about it in a strange way by stalking women.  He suffers from delusion and believes he is in a relationship with them.

Flowers for the Dead is a cracking read with some brilliant characters and a great storyline. Absolutely loved this book. I found myself both frightened of and sympathetic to Adam at the same time

A high standard twisted thriller which was unsettling and gruesome but still I couldn't put it down! 

Some moving moments full of complex compelling characters, a fantastic gripping read with some breath holding moments.

I enjoyed this book and the concept of it. It was quite original knowing the perpetrator from the beginning of the book. The murderer is portrayed in a way that makes you feel sorry for him right up until the end. But rather strangely I found he was the only character that I connected with in the story. 

The downside to this book is that there are so many characters involved from the beginning that it is hard to keep track. I feel that it could have benefitted from the character jumps within chapters to be made clearer etc rather than just with dates. As there are so any timelines and storylines to follow. 

But regardless of this, it is a good book. And I love a stalker themed book. Always gives me chills. 

I will add that this book does involve some difficult storylines including abuse. Which i found difficult to read and perhaps may not have chosen this book had I of known in advance.

Oh my word! A horrifying and thoroughly entertaining read which has you gasping out warnings to the characters in the book. So well written you are living in the story. An excellent and thoroughly engrossing read.

It's not often you feel sorry for the bad guy, but the author has written his story so well that you feel sympathy for him! The chapters go from past to present, and as his story is slowly revealed, you can understand how he ends up the way he is.

I loved that we see into Adam's mind, and how he feels that the girls he's stalking should already know him, as he knows them so well. It's creepy, scary, and completely believable, and sends shivers down your spine. The symbolic connection with flowers is cleverly done, and adds an emotional touch as it was learned from his grandmother, the only woman to ever show Adam some love.

Laura and Mike are great characters too. Laura is struggling to overcome a devastating tragedy, and her transformation from wanting to die to wanting to live at all costs has you rooting for her. Mike is also trying to overcome a tragic loss, while battling personal demons at the same time.

I was on tenterhooks towards the end, as Adam spirals out of control and Laura is unaware of the danger she's in. The book is a roller coaster of emotions that keeps you turning the pages, and has an ending that doesn't disappoint! Highly recommend.

I was really looking forward to reading this one as have enjoyed Barbara's books in the past....so was a little disappointed not to enjoy it more. I found it quite confusing the way the book jumped around in time and person to person without making it clear who it was about and when, and to me this halted my enjoyment of the book.

I did like hearing from Adam's perspective, a bit like "you", but I thought the inclusion of perspectives from so many characters again made it a little confusing. Also probably the first time I have felt sorry for the bad guy.

Not for me I'm afraid, sorry.

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!

Thank You to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

I was really looking forward to reading this, have heard some great things about the author. The start was promising and intriguing. Told from several different characters perspectives and timelines. Laura had lost her family in a tragic accident, after that she seems to not want to live her life herself. Adam is abused as a young boy as we see home from 25 years earlier, then in the present as he mutilates women, believing he is doing them a favour, trying to show he loves them. 

The problem I found is the characters were just not alive enough, Adam was twisted, was he born that way or was he made that way? I wanted the story to be more creepy, but I think the fact you know who is doing the killing from the start, reduced the tension for me personally, and it just didn’t keep the momentum.

I will be checking out other books by the author. Unfortunately this one just didn’t have the suspense I was looking for. 

I would like to thank #netgalley and the publishers for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest fair and unbiased review.

I couldn’t put this book down yet it was incredibly hard to read. 

This is the You series on Netflix on steroids. To read of the graphic details of horrific abuse committed against Adam by his mother was just chilling. The wonderful and comforting Gran was sweet and sad. His father was a best indifferent but also unable, and worse, unwilling to understand his shy, sensitive and “feminine” son.

I loved the switch up between past and present and the gradual descriptive process of building this psychopath (sociopath?) that Is Adam. I also loved the flowers! How they tied into the only person that truly loved Adam and their meanings. They gave more insight to his truly twisted way of thinking and character overall. 

Mike was a great character as was Laura. They are both trying to recover from great losses. Their paths to healing are touching and felt very real. 

I thought this all came together very well. It does have some repetition and slower moment but I was fascinated nonetheless. Second book by this author and I can’t wait for the next!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for a review.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this ARC.  This is not like any other serial killer book I have read. Much of it was from Adam's POV - you really get to see what he's thinking, and why.  In some ways it made him a sympathetic character, even though he's a killer. I think that took some brilliant writing!  I liked how reason for all of the characters was made clear by the end of the book. One downside for me was that it was pretty graphic at times, so after the first time I got grossed out, I started skipping bits. But that didn't really detract from the book. I'm going to look up other books by this author!