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Dead to Me Mary McCoy Books

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Dead to Me Mary McCoy Books

First, let me begin with a full disclosure: the author is a relation to me by marriage, and to be honest that is how I found out about the story in the first place. Having said that, my review is honest and there are no spoilers.

I really liked this book. I tend to read two kinds of fiction genres: fantasy and hard boiled detective (think Harry Bosch), so when I heard this book was in the works I was very interested. Having read it now (in two sittings), I think this book has a lot going for it. The story line is solid and well thought out. I didn't find any plot holes or find myself thinking, "Who would do that?". The characters seem to work and were believable. The atmosphere was palpable, and the time period/historic aspect was important, but I did not feel it displaced the story or that it was used as a crutch. There is a part of me that wonders if some of the historic aspect of the story will be lost on the the target/"YA" audience. I am in my late forties, and although this story is obviously before my time, I grew up around people whose formative years would have been during this time frame. This does not detract from my opinion, just something I am curious about. An additional aspect of the story I enjoyed was the narrative after the denouement. Many mystery novels just seem to stop after the "whodunit" but Dead to Me goes just far enough past that to be satisfying.

All in all this is a satisfying read. Even if the historic details were lost on the reader I think the story would still stand up. Although targeted to the YA audience, I feel older readers would enjoy it as well.


Tags : Amazon.com: Dead to Me (9781423187127): Mary McCoy: Books,Mary McCoy,Dead to Me,Disney-Hyperion,1423187121,Historical fiction,Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.) - History - 20th century,Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.);History;20th century;Fiction.,Mystery and detective stories,Mystery and detective stories.,Mystery fiction,Sisters,Sisters;Fiction.,Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9),Family - Siblings,Fiction,Fiction-Historical,General fiction (Children's Teenage),Historical - United States - 20th Century,Historical Fiction (Young Adult),JUVENILE,JUVENILE FICTION Family Siblings,JUVENILE FICTION Historical United States 20th Century,JUVENILE FICTION Law & Crime,JUVENILE FICTION Law & Crime.,Juvenile Fiction,Juvenile FictionFamily - Siblings,Juvenile FictionHistorical - United States - 20th Century,Juvenile FictionMysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories,Juvenile Grades 7-9 Ages 12-14,Law & Crime,TEEN'S FICTION HISTORICAL,United States,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Family Siblings,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Historical United States 20th Century,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Law & Crime,Young Adult Fiction,bisacsh

Dead to Me Mary McCoy Books Reviews

I was pretty much sold on Dead to Me after hearing it described as a noir-inspiredy 1940s mystery. I haven't encountered many books with this type of Hollywood setting, and I was immediately intrigued to see how the story would play out.

Mary McCoy's writing is engaging which makes Dead to Me an exciting read, ideal for readers who like a mystery with a less common setting.

Reasons to Read

1. The old Hollywood setting

I haven't read many books which are set in old Hollywood, but Mary McCoy did a fantastic job describing the setting in Dead to Me. It was very easy to imagine the characters and the places. But more impressively, Mary's writing really gave me a sense of old Hollywood by creating an atmosphere. While reading, I felt like I had been transferred to the story!

2. Strong female characters

I noticed towards the end of the book that there are many female characters in Dead to Me, and while they are each different they are all very strong, interesting individuals. You could see how they would each approach a problem differently, which added more depth to the characters. And I also appreciated seeing some very strong and loving relationships between them.

3. Even pacing

Dead to Me moved along at a steady pace while I was reading, which made it an easy read for me. Since much of the plot is shrouded in mystery, the reader is in the dark nearly as much as the protagonist, Alice, is. And it was this sense of mystery and the need to help Annie that kept the plot moving forward steadily and kept it from feeling too slow even while very little action was happening.

One of the most interesting aspects of Dead to Me was how the characters, even those who did not take an active role in the book, were not cast as stereotypes and there were a fair number of significant reveals with respect to secrets the characters were keeping. This felt realistic, but it also made the book interesting and more developed.

ARC received from Hachette Book Group Canada for review; no other compensation was received.
4.5 Stars

'Dead to Me' is a gripping young adult historical mystery/thriller based in Hollywood during the late 1940s. The story revolves around our main character, Alice, as she digs into her sister's life for the past four years - since she left home without a trace. Now, Annie is in a coma and fighting for her life after being nearly beat to death one night. The hospital called Alice after finding her picture and phone number in Annie's shoe, and Alice can't believe that she's found her sister after all these years - and is more determined than ever to find out the truth of why Annie left home and never reached out to her. Alice also knows that her parents are lying to her about something big - and she has a hunch that it has to do with Annie and why she left. She's not about to lose her big sister again, so Alice feels it's up to her to find out what Annie's being doing since she left and who could want her dead? She'll have to go through the shady underbelly of Hollywood - with all of the dirty and nasty secrets that are hidden there - in order to save her sister and to answer the questions that have burdened her for years. What she finds will shock her to the core and she'll have to rethink everything she thought she knew about Hollywood, the so-called glamorous life of actors, and even her own life.

I love a good mystery or thriller and never pass up a chance to read one that sounds promising. I'm usually complaining that the YA genre doesn't have enough good thrillers out there, which I'm happy to say is starting to change, and this novel can definitely be added to that list. The plot of the book really isn't anything terribly original - a teen girl runs away from home after a big fight with her parents and isn't heard from again - until she turns up in a hospital, leaving nothing but more questions. The fact that the story is set in Hollywood during the late 1940s makes it much more fascinating. A lot goes on during the story, especially as Alice digs through her sister's past to figure out what happened to her. There are tons of smaller stories that are brought up during this time in the book - and all of them somehow tie in together to create the backbone of the central plot. These smaller story lines are detailed and intricate, which I feel only adds depth to the book as a whole. It's like a puzzle - all of these smaller stories and characters that Alice discovers are the pieces, and when put together in the right way, they show the entire picture of what happened to Annie and why.

I always try to figure out the mystery in the book before the main character does, but I wasn't really able to pin it down with this one. I kept building up theories in my mind, only to have a big twist in the story knock me back to where I started. When I can't figure out a mystery of any sort before the character, I consider it a strong indication of the writer's talent and ability. I loved the author's writing style throughout the book - all of the various elements were each done precisely and in great detail. After putting all of the different parts of the story together, the big picture behind it all is revealed in striking detail. When I found out that this is the author's debut novel, I could hardly believe it. The book is written with the skill and grace of a seasoned author and showcases the incredible talent the writer possesses. Part of the reason I loved the writing so much was the author's use of first person point of view - that of Alice. By using this technique, the reader gets a much deeper and intimate understanding of what happens during the book, sometimes actually feeling as if we've been transported to that specific place and time. With this novel, I felt as if I had stepped back in time and was experiencing the glamorous Hollywood of the 1940s, as well as the dirty underside that is kept hidden from the world. We experience everything as Alice does and are privy to her personal thoughts, fears, dreams, hopes, and emotions - among several other things. This style also allows the reader to connect with the character in a whole new level than would be possible using a different technique. The reader is almost immediately connected to Alice and can easily identify with her from the start of the book. I love being inside the main character's mind during a story - experiencing everything from their standpoint. Emotions, inner thoughts and dialogues, and other sensory information is vividly detailed and described from the character's viewpoint - which makes the reader feel as if they are inside the story itself and experiencing everything that happens alongside the character. This is a huge benefit of using first person point of view, in my opinion, and I believe it makes a book and it's characters all the more realistic.

Each part of the story - from the setting and scenery to the secondary characters and the events that unfold - is described in fantastic detail with lots of description and vivid imagery. It feels so realistic that the reader will get lost inside the pages, forgetting about the outside world, until they have finished the book - which is another sign for me that an author has true talent. Overall, I found this novel to be an exceptionally well written story with an imaginative plot and a mystery full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. I very highly recommend this book to fans of mysteries, suspense, and thrillers - along with those looking for magnificent writing and a twisting narrative that will have you reading as fast as you can to find out the truth and who's behind it all. I'll most definitely be following this author and eagerly awaiting her next release!

Disclosure I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The setting, the time period make the story entertaining and interesting. The characters make it unforgettable. Annie, and Alice, and their brave girlfriends are heroic.
My daughter loved it
I love it
Daughter had to read for summer reading
First, let me begin with a full disclosure the author is a relation to me by marriage, and to be honest that is how I found out about the story in the first place. Having said that, my review is honest and there are no spoilers.

I really liked this book. I tend to read two kinds of fiction genres fantasy and hard boiled detective (think Harry Bosch), so when I heard this book was in the works I was very interested. Having read it now (in two sittings), I think this book has a lot going for it. The story line is solid and well thought out. I didn't find any plot holes or find myself thinking, "Who would do that?". The characters seem to work and were believable. The atmosphere was palpable, and the time period/historic aspect was important, but I did not feel it displaced the story or that it was used as a crutch. There is a part of me that wonders if some of the historic aspect of the story will be lost on the the target/"YA" audience. I am in my late forties, and although this story is obviously before my time, I grew up around people whose formative years would have been during this time frame. This does not detract from my opinion, just something I am curious about. An additional aspect of the story I enjoyed was the narrative after the denouement. Many mystery novels just seem to stop after the "whodunit" but Dead to Me goes just far enough past that to be satisfying.

All in all this is a satisfying read. Even if the historic details were lost on the reader I think the story would still stand up. Although targeted to the YA audience, I feel older readers would enjoy it as well.