absolutely adored Body Language, the first in this series about Cassie Raven, Senior mortuary technician, goth and body whisperer – and this second outing with Life Sentence does not disappoint.

This time the case is much more personal as Cassie Raven is driven by a re-appearance from her past to look into the murder of her mother; a murder for which her father was convicted. Not that Cassie knows any of this.

Cassie’s grandmother, Weronika, who took her in after her mother’s murder, has always been tight lipped about her mother’s death, telling her only that her parents both died in a car accident but spitting out her hatred for Cassie’s father whom she portrays as a violent drunk.

Cassie is also trying to understand what would drive a young boy to take his own life. The most recent visitor to her mortuary is a young goth who seems to have no clear reason for committing suicide. His parents are distraught, blaming themselves, but Cassie imagines this young man speaking to her and she instinctively knows there’s more to his story than she can immediately see.

Cassie Raven is a great character; highly empathetic, individually minded, she has strength of character and an interesting array of friends. She’s not without her flaws, either. A tendency to drink too much when stressed and to sample the more illicit wares that Camden has to offer are vices she’s going to have to control if her sleuthing skills are going to pay off.

When Cassie discovers the facts of her mother’s death she is, of course, determined to find out everything she can, without upsetting her grandmother, though she can’t really understand why she kept the secret for so many years.

With the help of some friends, Cassie begins the deep dive into her mother’s past and what she discovers is both eye opening and very disconcerting. There will no doubt be repercussions from this investigation that will ripple through Cassie’s life for some time.

Cassie’s relationship with DS Phyllida Flyte also takes a more personal tone as both women need each other to help them investigate important moments in the other’s lives.

Verdict: Life Sentence is a character driven slow burn of a book and none the worse for that. I loved Cassie’s second outing which gave me even more of a sense of her character and steadfast resoluteness when it comes to standing by her friends. She is a terrific protagonist and a character I have very quickly come to love. A.K. Turner’s writing pulls you in with its edgy style and intricate plotting and doesn’t let go. This is a series with huge potential that has become unmissable in only two books.

Apologies - I put my review on Amazon first as it was publication day and forgot to put it here!

I loved Body Language so I was thrilled to read Life Sentence. I sped through it. This is a more personal book about Cassie as she looks at her past and finds out exactly what happened to her parents. Equally, we learn more about DS Phyllida Flyte and her tragic past.

Once more, the forensic details in the story have been thoroughly researched, lending authenticity. Cassie Raven is a wonderful character and I long to see this series optioned for TV. I’m already looking forward to the next book!

An emotionally charged, complex, and gripping novel that kept hooked and involved till the last page.
I love Cassie and loved her story.
The author is a talented storyteller and did an excellent job in developing plot and characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Cassie Raven, a mortuary assistant in Camden, London, is with Mrs Kim Appleton who is the mum of fifteen-year-old Bradley. Cassie, a Goth living with her Polish gran, Weronika, is a loner who is well suited to her job and believes she can glean the final thoughts of the dead. Cassie is hoping that Kim Appleton is remembering Bradley as he was as a young child rather than the boy who was found with an electrical cord wrapped around his neck. Cassie has always understood that her own parents died in a car accident, a head-on collision when she was just four, but truth be told her dad, Callum killed her mum, Katherine and he has just been released from prison after serving a twenty-year sentence. Cassie has unresolved issues and attempts to find some answers, asking her friend, DS Phyllida Flyte for help.

Intricately plotted and very cleverly crafted by A.K. Turner I took a great liking to the main character in the first instalment of this series, Body Language. Protagonist Cassie has an intriguing backstory, she's flawed, spirited and ever so slightly weird. The story flowed really smoothly and as I became immersed in Cassie's world I didn't want to put my Kindle down. With no end of revelations, I was engrossed right through till the twisty finale. I love the contrast between Cassie and Phyllida and was again mightily impressed by Ali Turner's edgy writing style.

An absorbing, gritty read which might appeal to those who enjoy a large helping of forensic science in their crime fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I loved the first book in A K Turner’s Cassie Raven series and I immediately liked Cassie when I read it. She is quite a different protagonist to what I have seen before in crime fiction. I like her quirkiness and how she attends to the dead in the mortuary she works in, believing that she can communicate with the dead. In the latest book in the series, Life Sentence, this time Cassie is very much in the spotlight as she tries to piece together what happened to her mother, who was killed by her father more than two decades earlier.

Life Sentence is very much Cassie’s story. A K Turner delves even more into her background in this book, and into the tragic event that happened in her past. You can see clearly how determined Cassie is to get answers, even though the police believe that her father was the man responsible for what happened to her mother. He has recently been released from prison and is determined to strike up a relationship with his daughter again after so long, and he continues to protest that he had nothing to do with her mother’s murder.

You get a real sense that there are secrets to be uncovered here, especially, I thought, with Cassie’s grandmother, who she is currently living with. I felt that her grandmother wasn’t telling her everything she ought to know about her parents, and I wondered what this would do to their relationship, if her grandmother was harbouring a big secret. I loved Cassie’s relationship with her grandmother in the first book and the same in this one, so I was worried about what Cassie’s pursuit for the truth, would mean for their relationship.

I liked how A K Turner weaved the plot together and there were definitely a few elements to the mystery, surrounding what happened to Cassie’s parents that surprised me. A K Turner continues to turn the tension up a notch as Cassie gets closer and closer to the real truth. I was flying through the pages as she begins to realise what actually happened. There are some very hard hitting truths that come to light, and I’m interested to see where A K Turner will take this series next from here.

Cassie Raven is a character who I will definitely keep coming back to. She is so fascinating, and A K Turner always writes gripping prose that pulls you into the story. I really enjoyed Life Sentence. If you haven’t discovered this series yet, you’re missing out!

This is the second book featuring Cassie Raven and I loved it!
Cassie is a mortuary assistant and takes pride in being considerate with the bodies that come in.
With the body of a teenage boy to look after, Cassie can’t quite believe he committed suicide, so does some investigating.
She’s also reeling from the discovery that her parents didn’t die in a car accident, but in fact her dad has been in prison for the murder of her mum.
Cassie sees her dad and he tells her he’s innocent and could never harm her mum. She’s sceptical at first but when she starts to look into things, she discovers several things that would indicate he’s telling the truth.
This is a brilliant crime thriller with the additional twist of having a mortuary assistant doing some of the investigating.
Cassie’s relationship with Sargeant Flyte is great and whilst they are totally different personalities, they have a real connection.
Another great book in this original series.
Thanks to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Cassie is a mortuary technician in Camden, London. She decided on this career since losing both her parents when she was four in a car accident. She feels she has the ability to really speak to the dead, and treats them with the respect even in death. Cassie learns that the story about how her parents died isn’t actually the truth at all, that her father killed her mother and was sent to prison and this is where until recently he remained.
Cassie seeks to discover the truth about what really happened all those years ago, and she makes contact with DS Flyte and asks for her help. Can Cassie with the help of DS Flyte find out what did actually happen the night her mother was killed?

This was a brilliant read, had me gripped from the start and even though I hadn’t read the first book I was still able to pick up the story and get to know the characters without any problems. The story was easy to follow, and had plenty of shocking twists and turns. I really liked how the story ended.

Thank you for the pre read, I enjoyed this book very much!

I have read the first book in this series, but they can be read on their own. This one took me through a range of emotions. The characters are well thought out and the story travelled at a fast pace. I would recommend it to anyone and will probably buy it for my daughter.

Cassie Raven whom as a Mortuary technician works with death on a daily basis. This second book in the series, I can’t wait for the next instalment I was breathless with anticipation…

This is the second book in the series and I thoroughly enjoyed both. In this book Cassie is determined to find out who murdered her mother, but the search reveals a lot of secrets as well as danger for her.

As a mortuary technician, Cassie is used to dealing with the dead, and is sympathetic and kindly both to them and the relatives they leave behind. She could do with similar treatment herself as she seeks for evidence and, helped by DS Flyte, she tries to build the picture of whether her mother's death was a result of a police cover up, or something else.

The story takes the reader on a journey, and it was one I really enjoyed. I do hope there are more books in this series in due course. Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s never easy when you discover that you’ve been lied to all your life and that the people around you have kept secrets from you. Of course how you take the news will change you forever, but if you are in forensic sciences like Cassie Raven, you can have some of the answers you need to satisfy your curiosity and close the door of doubts. So, are you ready to help Cassie to discover the truth?
I have to say that this has been an interesting read, Cassie is a brave and intelligent woman, with a deep connection with the people she works with, the dead. But this will be her first case that it will be personal, because after discovering that her mother was killed and her father was in prison for the murder, she can’t stop asking questions; why, whom, where…
I think in a book, it doesn’t matter if there’s a mystery or not, the most important thing is the character that drives the story; if you connect with them, like their acts and if you believe what they are doing. In this case, Cassie is a character you trust and like; she is special, but who is not? I think this story, apart from the mystery, is a way to show the world that it doesn’t matter if you don’t always fit or if you really don’t want to fit, it’s important that you are true to yourself and believe in what you are doing.
This is a book I would recommend to any mystery lover, you’ll love it, slow paced and engaging, impossible to put down!
Ready to discover the “Life Sentence”?

The second book of the series and although it didn't have an engaging storyline with regards to moving the story forward. I did like the fact that it had more information on the back story of the characters.

Life Sentence is the second book in the Cassie Raven series by A K Turner and whilst this book focused mainly on Cassie’s backstory I felt that it was fairly predictable and didn’t fully hook me in and didn’t fully build on the promise of the first book in the series.

Overall an ok read.

It’s Personal….
Cassie Raven, mortuary technician, is back to delve into another case - but this time, it’s personal. Her father has spent years behind bars. For the murder of Cassie’s mother. Now he’s back and is determined to prove his innocence. Cassie has spent a long time believing that both her parents died in an accident when she was very young, but despite all odds she wants to believe her father. Can she delve deep to find answers and will the dead be willing to give up their secrets? With a unique and likeable protagonist and an immersive narrative, this is a compelling forensic mystery with a dark vein of humour.

This is the second book I have read by this author. After reading Body Language an unusual crime thriller with a touch of the supernatural. In this one there is more of the same. Some surprises but some what predictable. All in all a good read.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

I really enjoyed Body Language, the first in this series so had high hopes.

Main character Cassie is unique, a young and dedicated mortuary assistant who sometimes gets flashes of communications from the corpses during postmortems or sees visions of the dead.

A murder mystery with Cassie delving into the truth of her own past, as the victim was someone very close to home.

Cassie' character is great, and my favourite thing about this book, which I found enjoyable but fairly slow for the most part. The twists and tension are loaded towards the end.

I enjoyed Body Language more, and it seems like the quirky main character market is much busier now than it was, which is a good thing. Will I read the third book? Probably.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK

I enjoyed reading this book, and unusually for me I did read the first book in the series ,so was familiar with the main characters. This was a great story, that had some surprises, and kept me guessing. I thought it was great. Even if you haven't read the first book, you should be fine jumping into this book, and hopefully like me you will enjoy it. .

I loved AK Turner's debut novel Body Language, featuring mortuary technician Cassie Raven so was looking forward to reading Life Sentence. Here. Cassie is looking into the apparent suicide of a teenage boy as well as coping with the revelation that her father murdered her mother, many years ago when she was a child. Cassie is a likeable and intriguing character and I love the writing style of this series. The plot is slower paced than in Body Language and for me there was too much focus on Cassie's own story and her search for the truth about her parent's marriage and her mother's murder. However I'd recommend this series and look forward to the next instalment.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
3.5 stars

3.75⭐️
A new author to me. This is the second book in the series.
Cassie Raven is a mortuary assistant with a difference, she talks to the bodies. Occasionally the bodies talk back, so there’s a hint of the supernatural.

This is a murder mystery with a very personal connection to Cassie.

I like quirky Cassie, she has always been fascinated with dead things. Cassie is innately very observant and intuitive. She is a rebel, a Goth, and bisexual.

The writing style is a relaxed chatty style which is enjoyable, it has a younger energetic vibe.

This historical but personal murder mystery is a slow burn. The quirkiness of Cassie and the tidbit of supernatural gives added interest. I found the job of a mortuary assistant interesting.
It got emotional in places too, things ramped up towards the end with a myriad of revelations.

A favourite quote on a mortuary assistants job description. ‘Cut and shut, sweetheart, cut and shut’

Generally I wouldn’t rate what I consider to be a slow moving story so highly. What has influenced me, is the likeable quirky character of Cassie, the unusual job in the mortuary, the sprinkle of supernatural.

An incredible read that had my heart in my mouth and my nails bitten down the entire time I was reading it. It was well written with a great storyline and well developed characters that I really liked. Highly recommend reading.