Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

Wow what can I say! This book is absolutely amazing and definitely worth the read! Couldn’t put it down once started

This book was a decent read, it had light suspense, intrigue, action, mystery, murder, and some twist and turns! The storyline was interesting and flowed nicely! It wasn't one of my all time favorite but still worth reading! I will recommend reading this book! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

A good mystery with interesting characters. I liked the fundamental plot and the way the author brought in the various characters and their potential role in the mystery.

Kate is going on what should be a simple trip to spread her mothers ashes in Ireland, but when she returns home something doesn't feel right anymore. While Kate is in Ireland her ex-husband dies... or does he?
I was worried at first when I saw there were 84 chapters but what I didn't realise was they were short chapters, breaking up bits of the story nicely. By the last few chapters I was hoping there was much more left of the story. I'm the type of person who needs a resolved ending and I found the ending of Before the Devil knows you're Dead very ambiguous which bothered me but I'm also hoping it means that Eleanor Kelley has another book in the works perhaps? Even with the ending leaving me with so many questions, I thoroughly enjoyed Before the Devil knows you're Dead!

Before the Devil knows you’re dead by Eleanor Kelley

At the beginning, I wasn’t too sure what to make of this. If I am being brutally honest, it did feel like it was a bit rushed but the writing style flowed really well and before I knew it I was half way through! This is very fast paced, full of twists and turns. A short one but more proof that good things come in small packages, and this one definitely packs a punch.
Kate, the main character, comes back from Ireland with her best friend to the news her ex-husband has died…maybe?! With her dad and neighbour seeing him several times since his death, Kate can be forgiven for thinking that someone had gotten it wrong, that Harry was still alive. After a series of very unfortunate events, sparking off some even more unfortunate erratic responses, Kate manages to place herself as the main suspect in the murder investigation of a man she is no longer convinced is dead.
I think mystery/thriller lovers will like this one, as well as anyone looking for a short fast paced read.

Actual Rating: 2.6

This was very much one of those unreliable narrator stories — Kate was definitely not a likable character and with so many hints of violent behavior and her denying it, I was really expecting the plot to take a psychological turn.

The plot is as follows: When Kate returns from an Ireland trip to news that her ex-husband Harry had passed away, she goes around looking for answers, and not finding any. The mystery deepens when she and her acquaintances start claiming that they saw Harry walking around town. And then the police comes knocking at her door asking about the suspicious circumstances surrounding Harry’s death.

I was definitely really interested in the plot even though it didn’t go the way I expected and took some time to pick up. The most interesting parts were when there actually were developments for the mystery — this was one of those stories where I found myself constantly making predictions. In the end, I wish the pay-off was just a little more satisfying than it was; the final reveal felt a little underwhelming and I feel like there was more story to tell.

Non-mystery moments where we were learning about Kate’s life and personality, were pretty forgettable and I actually attribute that once again to Kate’s character generally lacking charisma and self-awareness, and thus being unlikeable.

Interestingly enough, her unlikeability wasn’t really a problem — as the book went on, it embraced it. It's interesting and makes you think, but it does create a distance between the reader and the main character, as it always felt like there was a disconnect between the real version of events and the defensive narrative we were getting through Kate’s eyes.

Everything else was pretty good. The side characters were okay — none were really memorable but as Kate’s supporting cast they did the job. In terms of writing style, I generally feel pretty neutral; it’s straightforward and understandable and definitely makes you ask questions.

Overall, I think this book was a bit of a cross between a contemporary and a mystery, and I’d recommend it to people who enjoy stories in that intersection.

This book started out as a regular family story but I soon realized there was more to this story. A mystery slowly started unraveling and once it did I could not put this book down.

This is a story of a relationship between a middle aged woman and her father, with her sister, with her best friend, and with her adult children. She is a very strong woman that is being gaslit by several people and it ends up becoming her trying to prove that the reality people seem to be living is not the reality she knows to be true. She fights hard to prove it. With the assistance of those closest to her she takes on an almost impossible task - to prove she knows the truth. Does she manage to prove it? The story is fast paced and you will not know the answer until the end,

Well written and I enjoyed reading this book.

"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" by Eleanor Kelley is a gripping psychological thriller. Kelley's storytelling keeps readers on edge as the plot takes dark, unexpected turns. The characters are enigmatic and the suspense is unrelenting, making this a compelling and tense read for thriller aficionados.

An amazing, suspenseful story that kept me hooked from the first page. I was completely consumed and couldn't put it down!