In Chicago there is a killer on the loose who the police can’t catch, a young girl with visions of people dying, and a forensic psychologist who is facing problems both in his personal and professional life. The author masterfully plotted a story in which the only connection between the victims of a cruel killer is Kassie Wojcek, a 15-year-old girl who claims she can predict how people will die by looking into their own eyes. Obviously, no one believes her, but Dr. Adam Brandt sees something in Kassie and he wants to help her figure out the truth.

The author gives the readers a 360° perspective: we read from the points of views of the killer, the victims, the police, Kassie, and Adam. We read about the victims’ lives and their fear when they are kidnapped and about the killer’s dark pleasure in torturing them. Kassie and Adam’s perspectives are a compelling and intense read as the author describes in details Kassie’s frustration and torment, her loneliness, abandoned even by her own mother, and her courage in finding the killer, even on her own or with Adam’s help who, in the meantime, is facing a difficult and painful situation at home. I really felt for both Kassie and Adam who find themselves in danger and in a race against time in trying to stop the killer before he gets to his next victim.

The ending was not at all what I expected: it’s dark, shocking, moving, and, although it’s not what I hoped for, it fits perfectly with the story. Claustrophobic and with a series of murders that some readers may find a bit too gruesome, A GIFT FOR DYING is a fast-paced, thrilling and haunting page-turner with the suspense always high, an absolute must-read!

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I have read and enjoyed the Helen Grace series. This is a standalone book with short, punchy chapters that grip you straight away. Kasssie is a young 15 year old girl, who knows just by looking into people’s eyes, how and when thy are going to die. Kassie collides with a man in the street and when she realises what is gruesome fate is going to be she tries to warn him. When the man is found dead Kassie is treated as a suspect. Adam is a forensic psychologist who Kassie is referred to and when Kassie reveals her secret ‘gift’ he tries to understand what this means. Eventually there are more murders and Kassie predicts them and also seems to turn up where they have taken place making the police more suspicious. This is a fast paced and gripping story, fairly gruesome at times, with a brilliant conclusion. An excellent standalone book and highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I’ve read every book by this author so far and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. I was gripped and the storyline was absolutely brilliant. Recommend highly

Troubled teen, Kassie Wojcek has a gift - she can look into someone's eyes and know exactly when and how they're going to die. So she keeps to herself, and tries her best not to look people in the eye. But when she bumps into a high profile assistant state attorney, triggering a chain of events and a search for a serial killer, her plans to remain out of sight are cut short. 

She's thrown together with forensic psychologist Adam Brandt who's assigned to assess her, and who understandably struggles to believe what Kassie claims to have seen. Battling his own current family situation, Adam tries to balance what's going on at home with his work issues, which seem to become more complex by the day as Kassie starts to take up more and more of his time, and the case becomes increasingly sinister. 

Tracking the killer is Detective Gabrielle Grey, who I absolutely loved! Determined to do a thorough job, while balancing being a wife and Mother at the same time, she represents the consummate struggle of all women trying to achieve what seems impossible, but getting through each day - one day at a time - some better than others, sometimes feeling crappy and thinking you can't get lower than this, and sometimes feeling on top of the world, triumphant at what's been accomplished! Did I mention ... I loved Gabrielle Grey!! Well done to M.J. Arlidge - a man - for creating her!!

In its entirety, A Gift for Dying is a fast-paced, gasp-inducing thriller. It's somewhat gruesome in parts, and it took me a bit of time to find my way through the characters. But once I figured them all out, I quickly raced through this and especially enjoyed the supernatural edge. It's not just about the creepy premonitions and the gruesome killing spree though. This is a novel that digs deeper, investigating belief, relationships (between parent and child, husband and wife, colleagues and mentors), the teetering balance between darkness and light and what it takes to make the choice between the two.

I give it 4 shiny stars and would definitely recommend it.

I’m a huge fan of Matt Arlidge and his D.I. Helen Grace series, so when I heard he was writing a stand-alone, I knew it would be high on my list of books to read this year. So I was more than delighted when it turned out to be a big book, a 480 page turner.

Now size doesn’t really matter, but when you love the characters and the plot is thrilling, then it’s good to know you’re in for a decent read and A Gift For Dying does not disappoint on any measure.

I recently saw M.J. Arlidge on a panel at Noireland in Belfast where he remarked that generally he ‘eviscerated more men than women’. I always think that’s the sign of a good author; when they are making sure that they are keeping count to ensure that they are equal opportunities eviscerators.

Arlidge writes really well drawn women. In A Gift For Dying, set in Chicago, Kassie is a young woman haunted with a gift she would really much rather not have. A young woman who knows, just by looking, how people are going to die and who can, in extreme circumstances, also feel that death as it happens.

Adam is a forensic psychologist to whom Kassie is referred. He can’t of course, accept what Kassie is telling him, buit at the same time, he makes a connection with her that he just can’t give up on. With a much longed for baby on the way, he and his artist wife, Faith are looking forward to a happy life ahead.

Detective Gabrielle Grey is riding high as lead Detective in charge of the Homicide Squad in Chicago PD. But it’s a short fall from riding high to disgrace and the way things are going, Gabrielle is going to have to keep all her wits about her if she is to catch Chicago’s newest serial killer.

With this mix of excellent characters and a sick and twisted serial killer on the loose, I was utterly transfixed and enthralled. Utilising all the benefits that a stand-alone offers, Arlidge has produced a gruesome and gripping story that kept me on edge all the way through to the end of the book.

I really enjoyed M.J. Arlidge’s venture into the stand-alone world and I for one hope it is the start of many – though I’m still up for many more of Helen Grace, too.

Verdict: Dark, twisted, gritty and chilling thriller with an explosive end.

I really enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend it. It has a great storyline, excellent main characters and it is a real page turner. I read this book in one sitting and the hours just flew by!

I wasn’t sure how this standalone book would compare to M.J. Arlidge’s Helen Grace series, but I needn’t have worried as it was every bit as good! A fast paced and gruesome read with the added bonus of a supernatural element, which made it even more of a must read for me. Highly recommended.

My full review will be posted as part of the blog tour soon.

I was very excited to get my copy of this standalone novel by Arlidge but to be honest i was a little disappointed. I don't know if it was the change of location in countries from the Helen Grace series that confused me or something else. I found it quite difficult to get into the story line and found the characters a little bit far fetched, i found it hard to relate to the characters. It was very fast paced and this confused me at first, but i did enjoy this as i got further along into the book. Around half way through i became involved in the story line and wanted to find out what was happening. I did like the fact that the story had a clear ending and finished with some justice.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This is a standalone book from this author and it was utterly brilliant and well worth the read as Helen Grace is a hard act to follow.

A Gift for Dying is a standalone thriller by the author of the Helen Grace books. I was immediately taken by the unusual storyline, that of a young woman, a 15 year old in fact, who believes she can see the manner of a person's death from simply looking into their eyes.

This is burden enough, but one day Kassie bumps into a man and when she looks into his eyes she sees a most terrible death for him at the hands of a murderer. Not only that, but his death is imminent. Kassie's reaction to the man is extreme and disturbing. Well, wouldn't your reaction be the same if you saw a vision of a man being murdered in the next few hours? Indeed! Enter Adam Brandt, a psychologist brought in to deal with the fallout of that bump and Kassie's behaviour.

The two form an unlikely alliance as Adam (kind of) believes Kassie when everyone else thinks she's either crazy or making it up. Eventually there are more murders and every time Kassie manages to predict them, but she also manages to always be there, bringing her to the attention of the police. I wasn't quite convinced by how Kassie always managed to just be in the right place to see the victims just before their murder but it's a minor issue and not one that spoiled the story for me.

A Gift for Dying is a fast-paced thriller with short chapters that make it so easy to just read another...and another....and another. I did feel like this book was a tiny bit on the long side but those short chapters certainly helped to keep up the tension. This sort of storyline isn't always easy to make plausible but I think Arlidge manages to do so very well.

Be warned, this book is fairly gruesome and there's no holding back on the gory details. Perhaps not one to read in bed at night! It's really well-plotted though and I practically inhaled the last 20% or so. I just needed to know how it was all going to end.

Overall, this is an ideal read for thriller lovers and it has a hook that makes it stand out from the others.

A young teenage girl Kassie can tell when people are going to die by looking into their eyes. Someone is torturing people before killing them. Kassie knows who his victims are going to be. Can she warn them in time to save them and will anyone believe her. A read with lots of twists and turns.

This is my first read by this author, despite having wanted to start the Helen Grace series for a while and the first few books in the series burning a hole in my TBR pile!
This is an excellent standalone thriller with a very interesting concept. Kassie is burdened with being able to see how and when people are going to die. When she starts to see the victims of a serial killer, her actions make her the prime suspect and the only person that even slightly believes her is psychologist Adam. With some pretty gruesome scenes and relentlessly building tension, this book was very hard to put down!

A Gritty and Gruesome Thriller that Kept me on the Edge of my Seat.
Reading a new author is always a thrill and the blurb of this book intrigued me. I had heard good things about Arlidge and this book certainly did not disappoint.

I was gripped by the plot early on and couldn’t stop reading.

Set in Chicago, A Gift for Dying is an intense, gritty and chilling read.

Kassie is a fifteen-year-old girl who has been detained in a juvenile detention centre and Adam, a forensic psychologist, is called in to assess her. You see, Kassie claims to be able to see a person’s death when she looks them in the eye. That’s what she says she was doing when she was arrested for attacking a man she claims to have been trying to warn.

Adam, of course, doesn’t believe her and believes she is suffering from some sort of psychosis.

But with a brutal serial killer on the loose in Chicago, and Kassie seemingly able to predict his next victim, Adam starts to question Kassie’s gift and her ability to help him catch the killer.

Arlidge beautifully crafted these characters. Kassie is complex, with many layers. She is bold and impulsive but also vulnerable and isolated, haunted by her ‘gift’.

Adam seems to have everything, but there is so much more going on under that professional exterior. The way his character develops, in particular, is really well written.

But it’s not just the main players that are well drawn in Arlidge’s world - Adams wife Faith is a fantastically written character that I couldn’t help but connect with. She broke my heart.

There are various police officials involved in the investigation. Detective Gabrielle Grey is leading the hunt. She is a strong, hard-working leader. I liked how she wasn’t afraid to ask the hard questions. However, at times I did find her to have tunnel vision and she was a little too focused on Kassie. There is so much more to this book and its characters than the one killer plot line.

The hardships and connections these characters make are just as urgent and gripping as the murders themselves. I was just as intrigued by their home lives just as much as I was for the hunt for the murderer.

Not to disappoint, of course, the serial killer, this character is messed up. The murders were gruesome and savage. For anyone who may be curious, this is not a light read and can become very intense at times.

As much as A Gift for Dying is touted as a psychological thriller, the story is just as much about emotion, love, loss, rejection, isolation, depression and acceptance as it was about hunting down a brutal killer.

This book toyed with my emotions and had me biting my nails right until the end. The short snappy chapters created a sense of urgency adding to the tension. I was left contemplating fate and if everything we experience in life is inevitable or can destiny be altered.

I found myself questioning prophecy and if it is just better not knowing. This fast-paced, action-packed thriller had me on the edge of my seat and the ending sent a chill down my spine. I highly recommend this book.

(Many thanks to Michael Joseph Books and Tracy Fenton for inviting us to take part in this blog tour.)

Wow, this was a breathtaking and chilling read. I have read this authors books and was not disappointed by this one. I scary, heartbreaking and clever book. Highly recommended #NetGalley #AgiftForDying

Great story that will keep you hooked till the very end and then some! The characters are likeable and everything seems so clear.....

I am a huge fan of M.J.Arlidge's Helen Grace series of books so I was keen to read this stand alone book by the same author.

Kassie is a troubled teenager. She has a terrifying gift. When she looks into your eyes she can see your death. As a result she is a loner, scurrying through her days being a disappointment to her devout mother. When she bumps into someone as she is going along the street she sees what is going to happen to him. In deciding to help him she crosses the path of Adam Brandt, a psychologist.

The police are suspicious of Kassie when she keeps turning up, or is connected with murder scenes. At first Adam is very sceptical but he starts to wonder if there is some truth behind it.

I found this rather slow & I struggled to really engage with the characters. The last quarter of the book picks up & carries you through to the shocking end, which made it worth a read.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Imagine having a gift (if you can call it that) whereby when you look into someone’s eyes you can see how and when they will die. Well this is what Kassie has to deal with on a daily basis and it’s no wonder she turn’s to recreational drugs to try and numb the overwhelming feelings that are thrust upon her.

Kassie’s predicament is really frustrating for her as no one believes in what she can do, not even her mother. The only person who knows what she is going through is her elderly grandmother but as she’s living out the end of her days in a nursing home Kassie really has no one with whom she can talk to. When Adam enters Kassie’s life I was so relieved for her because here is someone who finally doesn’t just look as Kassie as a lost cause, here is someone finally who is willing to look past the obvious and try and actually help her.

Kassie is a really special character, she puts on such a hard front but at the same time is so vulnerable and fragile. The relationship which her character and Adam’s shared is my favourite kind to read about. A relationship that on paper shouldn’t work, but with the author’s careful scripting is actually something beautiful. Adam plays a kind of father figure, or big brother to Kassie and the way they help each other really gave the story a deeper level than the obvious psychological, supernatural, thriller elements.

I really liked the fact that the book is separated into lots of short snappy chapters, sometimes only a page of two. This method of breaking up the story doesn’t work for all books, sometimes you really need the longer scripted chapters to be able to get into a story but that wasn’t the case here. I liked the urgency of the chapters and it made it so easy to get lost in the book as I kept saying to myself ‘just one more chapter’ for about 10 chapters or so!

Some of the scenes are really gruesome, like really gruesome, now this isn’t an issue for me but be aware if this isn’t your kind of thing. The author has a very easy way with words making the book hard to put down and when you couple this together with a fast tense plot if time permitted I could have easily read this in one sitting. This was my first read by this author and I understand there is quite a back catalogue of published books already so I will definitely seek out others to read.

Having read Eeny Meeny earlier this year I was looking forward to getting stuck into A Gift for Dying.

The story follows a troubled teenager who, by looking directly into a persons eyes, can see exactly how and when they are going to die. When a sadistic murderer begins to stalk the streets of Chicago only the teenager and her psychiatrist seem to be able to track the murderer to stop the killings.

The pace was fairly quick and the book is a great stand alone crime thriller if you can get past the idea of fate and the supernatural element of seeing death before it happens. Personally I preferred the Helen Grace novel and hope to continue with the series.

Many thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance copy for an honest review.

This is the new standalone novel by author MJ Arlidge, writer of the successful Helen Grace series that I enjoy so much.
Troubled teenager Kassie Wotjcek claims to have the ability to be able to look into a persons eyes and see when and how they are going to die. This is more of a curse than a gift and Kassie avoids eye contact whenever possible. Set in Chicago there is a serial killer on the streets and Kassie is thrown into the plot when after looking into the eyes of Jacob Jones she can see his imminent brutal death. How can she help him without looking like an insane teenager.
A forensic psychologist named Adam Brandt is fascinated by Kassie and although he thinks she must have mental issues he cannot get around the fact that she appears to know who the next victim will be and against all his scientific know how, Adam starts to believe her.
Excellent fast paced novel that will certainly satisfy readers of Mystery thrillers.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Penguin UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Helen Grace series is a favorite of mine. So, I was curious to see how this, a stand-alone thriller about a teenager claiming to have the ability to see into one's eyes and see how she or he would die, would turn out. In this book, we get to both follow the police during the serial killer investigations, as well as Adam Brandt, a forensic psychologist who is slowly getting more and more pulled into Kassie's world. Then, there is Kassie herself, the star of this book. She's a troubled youth who carries a terrible burden. Adam wants to help Kassie, but the more involved he gets into her life, the more problem arises for him and his wife who after several years are expecting their first child. Are Kassie's visions true? Or is she unbalanced?

I always enjoy reading books that are angling towards the paranormal. There is it or is it not something supernatural going on is such an interesting subject to read about. The "gift" of seeing how people will die, especially violently isn't something I would like to have. For Kassie has this been part of her whole life, she truly believes that she has this awful gift. However, all the people that she wars just end up being weirded out by her. Kassie herself comes from a broken home, with a mother who just wants her to behave and act normal.

As a thriller did I find the book to be interesting to read. Very different from the Helen Grace series and if I'm perfectly honest so did this book not rock my boat the same way that Arlidge's series about Helen Grace does. I found myself not as invested in the story as I hope to be and the pacing was a bit slow now and then. On the plus side, it sure gets hectic towards the end of the book. It's definitely a book worth reading and I found myself quite impressed with the books grim ending.