I think this is the first in a new crime series starring mortuary technician Cassie Raven and if so, I am all for it. While many don’t understand Cassie’s keenness for her work, they don’t know that she’s able to read or listen to those under her care. In some cases, she’s able to get clues and snippets of information that relate to how they died. But when a former teacher of Cassie’s is brought in, a woman who she credits for getting her life back on track, Cassie knows she must do all she can to solve the mystery – even if no one else believes there to be one. Couple this with a family set-up that will surprise you until the end of the book, a new police officer who is more concerned with rules and regulations than getting the job done, and worrying developments in the mortuary and you have a cracking read. When’s the next one out?

What can I say? I loved Body Language. I enjoyed the level of detail around Cassies work that made it believable but didn't get so scientific that I lost track. I loved her humanity and her stubbornness. There was humour and an interesting storyline and I will definitely be recommending. Looking forward to the next in the series!

Body Language is a solid first book of a series, introducing a new detective/sidekick duo (or maybe I should say mortuary technician/detective-who-is-the-sidekick duo). It’s just also a book that never really hooked me.

The plot follows Cassie Raven, said mortuary technician, and the detective who she, more often than not, clashes with. There are two mysteries at play in the book, to be honest. One, following the disappearance of a corpse from the mortuary, and a second, where Cassie suspects foul play in what seems otherwise to be a routine case.

My first thought was that the writing wasn’t for me, so really, it was an inauspicious start. But the writing never quite reached the levels of mehness that some books I’ve read have, so that didn’t, ultimately (and thankfully!), factor into my feelings about the book overly much.

Instead, I think what let me down about it was the mystery. I mentioned there were two simultaneous mysteries, but, in all honesty, neither of them truly compelled me to keep reading. I mean, yes, I was curious what the denouement would be, and who would be exposed as having done it, and that twist did surprise me. But. But.

I was never really compelled. I was never burning with curiosity to find out what had happened. And finding out who did it, and that it was explained as (spoilers!!) that character being “psycho” felt somewhat of a copout.

But then again. Maybe I’ve been watching too many murder mystery shows.