The First Time I Died by Jo Macgregor
Outside myself, I saw my body drifting in the black water, still as death.
The prologue sets the atmosphere, and it wasn’t long before I was falling headfirst into the story.
First-time nerves. Next time I die, I’ll be sure to take detailed notes…
So captivating, I read deep into the night not able to stop until I knew… I had to know.
A prickle of primitive fear rippled up my spine.
Flirting back and forth between past and present keeps the mystery alive, as does Jo MacGregor’s careful and analytic writing.
And if I had my way, I’d never come back.
I loved the paranormal element, it added to the tension and rounded out the characters.
Feeling the pull of the pond, it’s frigid, watery kiss, the embracing darkness.
Jo Macgregor’s adult psychological thrillers are dark and this one is no exception, although admittedly being more of a mystery thriller it’s not quite as dark as her first Dark Whispers which I still get shivers when I think of it.
If you have only read her YA books (written as Joanne Macgregor) and you definitely should if you haven’t, you’ll be surprised at how dark her writing can get, and I love it! Links to my reviews: Recoil Trilogy (dystopian), The Law of Tall Girls – my favourite! and Scarred (contemporary), Hushed (retelling)
We have all heard the saying you should write about things you know, and again Jo Macgregor’s career as a psychologist shines through her new book. She shared her thoughts on this in a guest post earlier this year.
Title: The First Time I Died
Series: Garnet McGee # 1
Author: Jo Macgregor
Publication Date: October 8th 2018
Publisher: Jo Macgregor
Source: Review copy
Purchase this book
Add to your shelf:
The first time I died, I didn’t come back alone.
When Garnet McGee returns to her small Vermont hometown for the holidays, she vows to solve the mystery of the murder which shattered her life ten years ago.
But then the unexpected happens — she dies in an accident and gets brought back to life by paramedics.
Now she’s hearing words, seeing visions and experiencing strange sensations. Are these merely symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and an over-active imagination, or is she getting messages from a paranormal presence?
Garnet has always prided herself on being logical and rational, but trying to catch a killer without embracing her shadow self is getting increasingly difficult. And dangerous, because in a town full of secrets, it seems like everybody has a motive for murder.— Abstract from Goodreads.com
Leave a Reply