Dead On [Paperback]

Ann Kelly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 31, 2004

"Ann Kelly is a truthful, passionate writer and Dead On is an elegant and powerful thriller."
--Christian Bauman, author of The Ice Beneath You

"Brilliant. A chilling erotic suspense that will send shivers down your spine. A sensuous, gripping tale of murder through the ages."

--Kat Martin, New York Times Best-Selling Author With Over 9 Million Books In Print

CAN KILLERS BE REBORN?

Ann Yang, an emotionally stifled medical examiner, is facing her first big case in a Pennsylvania suburb not used to high-profile crime. Ann, who has an obsession for the past, doesn’t see things through typical eyes.

The case has her new colleagues thwarted. A powerful and ruthless predator is abducting women and leaving their bodies in fields and stadiums, taunting investigators. And it looks like he’s chosen Ann as his ultimate target.

Ann calls on her friend Tony Cole, a retired FBI profiler, for help. Together they track the killer through Doylestown and New Orleans suburbs. Ann begins past-life regressions, and under hypnosis, remembers being killed in several lifetimes—by the same killer. In her home, she finds a diary containing intimate details about the unsolved disappearance of a girl who lived there more than 100 years ago.

DO ANY OF US EVER KNOW WHO WE ARE?

As the case boils over, Ann finds herself falling for the easy magnetism and rugged charms of the carpenter remodeling her Victorian home even though she suspects he could be the killer. Edgy, erotic, and full of twists.

www.annkelly.net

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ann Kelly lives on the East Coast. She is currently at work on her next two suspense novels, including a sequel to Dead On. In college she majored in Journalism and Anthropology, played lacrosse, wrote a lot of weird, award-winning poetry, and drank too much coffee. She still drinks too much coffee and is addicted to chocolate-covered espresso beans. That’s where she gets a lot of her ideas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (August 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595326641
• ISBN-13: 978-0595326648
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,756,030 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dead On: a perfect blend of mystery and paranormal, March 26, 2005

By 

Roberta M. Austin (Alpharetta, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dead On (Paperback)

Ann Yang is trying to move on with her life after a messy divorce. She moves to Doylestown, a small Pennsylvania suburb. She expects her job as medical examiner to be fairly quiet, but Ann is surprised when she becomes embroiled in a case that has all the twisted markers of a serial killer. Not only is she searching for common clues during autopsies, but Ann starts receiving personal threats that she may the final and most important victim in the madman's scheme.

Ann's search leads her to New Orleans and into past life regression, where it appears she may have been killed in multiple lifetimes by the same killer. Other pieces of the puzzle come together when Ann finds a diary that is over one hundred years old while remodeling her Victorian home. The diary reveals very intimate details about an unsolved disappearance of a young girl.
Ann has a quest to find the killer before he tries to fulfill his demented destiny.

DEAD ON is a debut mystery and has been nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Mystery Novel. It is easy to see the reason for the nomination. Ms. Kelley has a unique style and voice. The blend of paranormal, gritty mystery and erotic undertones make for a true page turner. This is not the book for those who want a "cozy", but will be enjoyed by those who are fans of Karin Slaughter, Tess Gerritsen and MJ Rose.

The story is told partly in third person narrative and in journal entries. This combination, along with pitch perfect dialog make for a riveting read. My only criticism is one that I have found even in national bestsellers. That is the occurrence of glaring typos. In this day of technology, pages seem to be proofread by computer programs, rather than a second pair of eyes. I am guilty of this myself. Being an avid reader and reviewer this is sort of a pet peeve.

Ms. Kelly has great promise as a writer and is wished much success in her career.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dead On, February 6, 2005

By 

Carol A. Cook "C2" (Quakertown, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dead On (Paperback)

Dead On is an excellent read that will take you through many character's lives and somehow, Ann Kelly brings them all together like a wrapped package. Her writing style is somewhat of a less gory James Patterson. The setting for this novel makes you want to go to Bucks County, PA and check out all the true to life landmarks. This is not a book that you will give away, since you'll want to read it again, just in case you missed something! Well done, Ann Kelly. I'll be waiting for a new release!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story, great writing, April 25, 2006

By 

Ira Josephs - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dead On (Hardcover)

Ann Kelly combines highly eloquent writing with a very absorbing story. The book is a must-read for anybody who appreciates a good mystery and savors skillful use of the language. Dead On is worth reading more than once. While it's a page-turner, don't read too fast or you'll miss the strong descriptions. The characters and scenery are portrayed beautifully, and the book is a bonus for anybody who is familiar with Bucks County.