Dying To Be Her – Gregg Olsen

Olivia Grant is a foreign exchange student from England, who winds up in rainy Port Gamble, Washington, far removed from the Hollywood type people she had hoped to meet. On the fateful night that opens this novel, she’s attending a Halloween party at the home of Brianna Connors, while Brianna’s Dad is out of town. Feeling a bit under the weather from whatever she’s consumed, she curls up in Brianna’s bed to take a nap, only to wake to find an assailant standing over her, quickly becoming a homicide victim.

Taylor & Hayley Ryan, twin sisters with very unique extrasensory abilities, are both awakened by the sense that something is very wrong. As they communicate their concerns with one another telepathically, they both agree that they hadn’t felt something like this in quite a while. It’s not until the next day that they receive a text message from their friend Beth, providing them with the shocking details of Olivia’s stabbing.

When Annie Garnett, the local police chief, arrives on the scene, she’s astonished at the lack of empathy displayed by the spoiled, rich Brianna Connors and her equally spoiled boyfriend Drew, as they lament their party being spoiled by a murder. She’s also disgusted when she receives word of Brianna & Drew being seen shopping at Victoria’s Secret the day after the murder. Brianna is also using the murder to boost her own notoriety on social media. Then, Brianna and Drew disappear. Meanwhile, a class assignment has the twins digging through boxes of old family photos, where they find old newspaper clippings that tell a very different story of past events that what they’ve come to know…

As Taylor & Hayley do their own investigating into events, both past and present, they begin receiving texts from an unknown person they deem ‘Text Creeper’. Emboldened by their discoveries, they plan to meet ‘Text Creeper’ in a public setting, instead they end up fleeing for their lives – but at the same time, the girls make a startling discovery…

As with all of Brian Olsen’s books, this one grabbed my attention from the first page and didn’t let me go, with me frantically flipping pages into the early AM hours. I’ve read many of his novels over the years but had totally missed this one - and the one that precedes it, which reportedly involves many of these same characters. This is be easily read as a standalone, especially if you don’t know otherwise! But, I’ll be heading to Amazon to check out the twins past exploits in just a second!

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!

The Ryan twins are back in a follow up to the book I read a couple of weeks ago. This time, they’re trying to figure out who murdered the school’s British exchange student and why, all while they’re still trying to come to terms with what their mother might be hiding from them. I wanted to like this book so much, and I had hopes given that it’s the second book in a series. Unfortunately, there were just too many threads going on, with way too many plot holes. I don’t think there’s a third book for this series either, so I’m kind of annoyed that I’ll never fully understand what happened with one of the more major storylines involving the twins when they were younger---and that’s the most I’ll say because I don’t like spoilers!!

Special Note: Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This one will grip you from beginning to end! The case is dark and twisted. There are more shocking reveals about the Ryan twins. I didn't see the killer coming and was left with my mouth hanging open. I hope there is another book because I really want answers about the bus crash. This has quickly become a must read author for me!

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for letting me take part in this double tour. I really like Gregg's writing style so I was excited to read this revamped series.

This book was a little darker than the first one. There was a slight change in focus too. The Ryan twins were still very much the main characters but Brianna and her boyfriend took up the side roles from Starla and her mum. While we learnt a lot about the Twins in the first book their gifts are still quite an unknown along with their family history. More of this was revealed in this book and I found this really interesting.

The case itself was horrific. When the truth was finally revealed I was shocked. I know this book was based on true events and that thought just horrifies me. Gregg did an excellent job of keeping me in suspense throughout the book and while I had slight inklings as to who might be involved I didn't work everything out.

I really hope we can revisit the Ryan twins. I love the girls and I'd love to see how their gifts keep affecting their lives.

In this,the second book in the Port Gamble Chronicles series,we are reintroduced to psychic twins Taylor and Hayley Ryan and some of the other residents of Port Gamble who appeared in the previous book including the twins mother and father, BFF Beth Lee and Colton. This time the twins find themselves investigating the violent death of foreign exchange student Olivia Grant. The murder happened at a Halloween party that was being hosted by self centred Brianna Connors and her boyfriend Drew. In the aftermath the hosts swiftly find themselves being judged and found guilty by the press and social media due to their callous behaviour and actions. Then during the police investigation evidence emerges that points the finger of guilty towards Beth Lee. To be honest Beth Lee wasn't exactly one of my favourite characters,neither were Brianna,Drew or a character called Starla who was just as self centred and intent on stirring up trouble as she was in the previous book. Once again the story is voiced from the perspectives of numerous characters but unlike the previous book this time we also follow the police investigation which was lead by inexperienced Chief Annie Garnett. In Fort Gamble,the police were more used to investigating burglaries than they were murders.

As well as using their unique abilities to figure out who had killed Olivia and why,the twins are also continuing to investigate the bus crash that resulted in the deaths of four children and left the twins in a coma ten years previously. A search that results in the girls uncovering a devastating secret from their mother's past and a shocking act of betrayal that was perpetrated by a close family member.

This book has more action than the previous book and had a seriously intense conclusion. It was packed full of twists and turns,red herrings and unexpected reveals. The story had me hooked in from the first page,kept me guessing and glued to my kindle. Although it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone,due to the continuing story line,I personally would advise readers to read Beneath Her Skin before reading this book. Although the mystery behind Olivia's death is solved there is still some unanswered quest regarding the bus crash and I can't wait to find out what Taylor and Hayley uncover in book 3.

Dying to Be Her is the second instalment in the young adult Port Gamble Chronicles series, set in Port Gamble (aka Empty Coffin), Washington. Sixteen year old Olivia Grant is a foreign exchange student who has made the trip from London to America having flown from Heathrow to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Her new best friend, Brianna Connors was throwing a no expenses spared Halloween party, while her parents were away on a cruise. She had raided her parents liquor cabinet and virtually everyone from Kingston High was there all dressed up in costume. But after drinking some of Brianna's fathers craft beer, Olivia felt unwell so she ascends the stairs and lies down in Brianna's huge bedroom. But after only drinking one or two 11% beers she wonders if she's been drugged as the room begins spinning and she feels in a state of confusion. Later on, Olivia wakes from sleep and hears someone moving in the bedroom but when she calls out no one responds. Then the shadowy figure starts kneeling on the bed and proceeds to stab her.

They get on top of her holding her down and for Olivia there's no escape. A fight ensues as Olivia is a fighter but she gets hit with something sharp which stops her in her tracks. By now she's bleeding quite a lot and her hands are covered in blood. Her attacker then slashes the knife across her neck before leaving her to die. As twins Hayley and Taylor Ryan get pulled into the aftermath of this Amanda Knox-like crime, they realise nothing is what it seems. Could it be betrayal of the ultimate kind? This is a riveting, compelling and thrilling read with a sinister and disturbing plot and enough action to keep you engrossed throughout. Dying to Be Her features real-life crime-solving techniques, heart-stopping suspense, plenty of red herrings, hard-hitting ethical questions, and information about the Amanda Knox case that inspired the novel. As the crime unravels, so does the twins' past…and they must face off against a family member who may unexpectedly have carried out the worst betrayal of all. An entertaining, captivating and palpably tense read. Highly recommended.

I liked book 2 more than book 1. The character development was a lot stronger and I really loved the mystery / who-dun-it this time around. This is definitely a book that you can pick up on a lazy Sunday and breeze right through. This one does a nice job of keeping the reader engaged in Haley and Taylor's story and will have you excited to read book 3 in the series to answer some hanging questions. ⁣
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Reader(s) note - if you are an Olsen fan, please go into this series knowing they are YA books. I was unaware of that before I started since I don't normally read book blurbs and I was definitely craving his normal graphic / gruesome writing style.

When I requested this book, I didn't know that it was the 2nd book in a series that had been released before, under a different name. Dying to Be Her by Gregg Olsen starts out with a bang. I was quickly drawn into what was happening and the mystery behind the brutal murder of a foreign exchange student. I felt like I was supposed to already know things about certain characters so much of the book felt a bit off balance but that is on me for not realizing another book came first. I still had enough information though to understand the book and enjoy it as a stand alone. The "powers" the twins have took away from the plot for me and I lost some of the interest in the story. Again, this could have been from not having all the information about the book before I started. I think YA thriller lovers will enjoy this book.

I enjoyed this second book more than the first.
Interesting but unlikeable characters, same horrible murders and mystery around everyone and everything.
There are many things/moments that I enjoyed reading but there are so many twists or scenes or even side characters that I haven't liked at all and those slowed down my hype.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

I liked this one just a bit more than the first. Even though it's book 2, this one could easily stand alone - although I did like knowing the previous experiences to tie some of the hints and end stuff up. The twins are interesting characters and their abilities, as they discover them, as well as the clues to the mystery are well done and I did find myself wanting to know how it all ended.
The little twist at the end was great, tying everything together.

Just fab! This author consistently delivers! Jaw droppingly brilliant. I started reading this and I had to set everything else aside until I finished. This book was addictive and extraordinary. Great writing, brilliant plot. Couldn't put it down. A must read for everyone.

First, I want to thank Gregg Olsen, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Gregg Olsen is back with his sequel to Beneath Her Skin with Dying to Be Her. Now, if you have not read Beneath Her Skin I highly suggest you do. Reason being you will get a better feel for the backstory and the characters. Both books are must read as Gregg Olsen has an incredible way with words.

Gregg dedicates this book to Jamie Morris. She is the girl who opened the creaky door of an abandoned house in the dark woods.

If you did read Beneath Her Skin you will be reunited with the Ryan twins, Brianna, Colton, etc.

Right from the start Brianna rubbed me the wrong way! She seemed like a spoiled little princess. She only thought of herself and not others.

My heart went out to Olivia who had the world at her fingertips! Exchange student coming from England to America to live the American Dream and make something of herself. Sadly, her journey to America was cut short.

The 911 operator’s phone calls and what she has to deal with on her shift I found interesting.

Being a huge fan of Full House and Fuller House I cracked up that the Ryan twins dressed up as the Olsen twins from that show. I would have loved to seen a picture of those two at the Halloween festivities.

The complete police report was very interesting to read.

The bond between Hailey and Taylor was really special even beyond being twins. It was quite fascinating.

In Gregg’s author notes he mentions that some of this story is absolutely true.

I wholeheartedly agree with him about trust and when it is broken.

Gregg's climatic scene is incredibly shocking and intense! Never would Imagine the book ending this way!

This is book 2 of the empty coffin series.

Just like book 1 it's a YA Mystery with the twins investigating a English exchange student murder.

This was fast paced, easy to read mystery with unusual supernatural things happening.

I read book 1 and book 2 in one day because I just had to read on to see what happened in the next.

This is the second book in the Empty Coffin series featuring Hayley and Taylor Ryan set in the community of Port Gamble, Washington. It can easily be read as a stand alone but the back story is enriched by having read the first book. Each story in the series has at it's core, a true life crime, this one was inspired by the Amanda Knox story. Gregg Olsen is well known for his true crime books and has brought those talents to the young adult mystery genre.

A young woman is stabbed to death at a Halloween party. As the investigation continues, the young woman's friends seem to be indifferent to her death while ignoring this small town's censure of their behavior. The Ryan twins, Hayley and Taylor, have seen clues that lead them to believe the young woman was murdered but they have no idea why. They will investigate, counting on the help of their group of friends and find more than they bargained for. A second story runs along this one, it feeds into the twins' backstory of having some paranormal abilities. When the current teenagers of Port Gamble were young, they were all involved in a school bus crash that left several children dead and many more injured. This story will run through the series, keeping us guessing and insuring we pick up the next book. I really liked the first book and the second one is just as good.

Thanks Netgalley for a copy Dying to be her by Gregg Olsen .
Perhaps Olsen should stay away from young adult , it just didn't feel like a young person was talking threw the whole story off for me. Still think Gregg Olsen is a great author especially his true crime.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

Ok so here it goes. I read the first in the series “Beneath Her Skin” and mostly did not enjoy it. But I had requested this book the same day from NetGalley so I decided to read it. And what I learned. Beneath Her Skin was originally released by the name Envy in 2015 and this book was originally named Betrayal released the same year. I have read a number of books by Olsen and maybe this feels so young (like a YA) because he was growing in his writing.

This book was better than the first but I really feel like it was written for a younger audience. One that does not have the mature pallet for true suspense or even paranormal. While the twins are adults they seem like older Nancy Drew characters (that should tell you how old I am).

I am not sure if there is more in the series but I will not be picking it up. This is not up to the par that I have read from other Olsen novels.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Well written with good character development but very predictable to me. Twins are on the run from a killer. And they have psychic instincts. And a special connection to their mom. I just couldn’t get into it. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is the second book in the Empty Coffin series. We return to Port Gamble, Washington where another tragedy has occurred. An exchange student named Olivia Grant has been found dead at the home of classmate Brianna Connors, apparently some kind of prank gone terrible wrong. Once again Taylor and Hayley Ryan are on the case because they have been receiving messages from the dead for years and they know this theory just doesn't add up. There is a killer still out there and they are doing everything they can to find out who it is before it's too late.

I'm hoping with this newly edited series a third book will be announced!
Olivia, an exchange student from London, is brutally murdered in Brianna's bed. During Brianna's amazing Halloween party.
Brianna does yoga in the hallway after giving her statement. Her boyfriend, Drew, watched TV while Brianna determined Olivia was dead. Not the classic responses.
Hayley and Taylor attempt to use their gifts, hoping Olivia will send them a clue. What they are the events leading up to the tragic bus accident killing their friends.
Which mystery is most important to solve?
Great suspense. I love these characters. The transitions are enjoyable, helps move the story forward.

While I wasn’t in love with the first book in this series, <i>Dying to Be Her</i> had my full attention. Olsen writes murder and crime well (as they are his background).

Once again, the small island of Port Gamble wakes up to news that another teenager is dead. Exchange student Olivia was brutally stabbed in a bedroom during a Halloween party the whole gang attended. And everyone’s a suspect, right?

Meanwhile, the Ryan twins are trying to get a better sense of their past and what exactly happened during the ill-fated bus crash that killed everyone but them (and 2 others). And what exactly happened at the prison where her mom lived near the grounds?

Hay-Tay take a deep dive into this info and I was all in. The side plots are good but I want more!! Can’t wait for the next installment.