Die With Me [Paperback]

Elena Forbes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 22, 2007

A new detective series in the style of Prime Suspect from a great new talent from the UK. A series of deaths -- apparent suicides -- of vulnerable young girls is baffling police in London: the bodies are found in the naves of churches after having fallen from a great height. Thanks to a badly-handled leak, the press are all clamoring for a serial killer called The Bridegroom, and amidst the maelstrom of conflicting theories from the media, criminal profilers, politically competitive colleagues and the general circus surrounding a major murder enquiry, the chilling deaths mount up... Elena Forbes writes the kind of creepy and atmospheric crime novel that we love, populated by a cast of fresh and engaging characters: Mark Tartaglia, the Italian-Scottish detective whose good looks get him in to all sorts of trouble, and whose single status is a constant challenge for his sociable sister and extended family; his spiky yet emotionally intelligent colleague Sam Donovan; and his old boss Trevor Clarke, who tries to give Mark good advice while lying in a hospital bed . Together they are piecing together evidence that will lead them to the worst kind of serial killer, one for whom the hunt for a victim and the crime squad's hunting of him are both an equally seductive and irresistible game.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At the start of British author Forbes's entertaining debut, a young woman falls to her death from the balcony of a dusty London church. Det. Insp. Mark Tartaglia and his team quickly discover that Gemma Kramer was lured there to meet a man calling himself Tom, who then delivered murder rather than the romantic suicide pact he promised. Searching the records, Tartaglia and his team uncover two of Tom's other victims, formerly classed as suicides, as well as a suspicious death his instinct tells him is linked. Following the clues from two additional murders, Tartaglia and partner Sam Donovan nearly become Tom's victims themselves just before discovering Tom's true identity. The explanation of the killer's motivation and MO isn't entirely satisfying, but this minor lapse aside, this is an intelligently plotted, convincing and nicely textured read. One hopes to see more of the appealing cast of well-characterized police personnel in a sequel. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* A murderer is loose on the streets of London, and it's up to Detective Inspector Mark Tartaglia to find him before he takes another innocent life. The perpetrator DI Tartaglia seeks is both sinister and smart, as evidenced by his MO: he convinces lonely, depressed women to join him in a suicide pact, then kills them instead. ("Tom"—as he calls himself—commiserates with his suggestible victims over the Internet, lures them to a balcony or bridge, then pushes them to their deaths). DI Tartaglia believes in following his hunches. But his trademark confidence is rattled when his ailing chief inspector is replaced by one Carolyn Steele, smart, experienced, and as seemingly unflappable as her name suggests. DCI Steele hardly fosters goodwill when she hires a slick psychological profiler. But when she begins receiving chilling e-mails from "Tom," Tartaglia and his colleagues realize they must set their feelings aside and crack the case—posthaste. A failed romance with a forensic pathologist only adds to the hardships faced by Tartaglia, who is forever dodging his sister's efforts to set him up. British debut author Forbes, a former investment banker, renders crisp prose, a clever plot, and an unsettling portrait of a charismatic psychopath. She is definitely one to watch. Block, Allison

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 341 pages
• Publisher: MacAdam/Cage (October 22, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159692277X
• ISBN-13: 978-1596922778
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,049,109 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "This isn't a world worth living in. There can be no future for us here.", October 21, 2007

By 

E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Die with Me (Hardcover)

Elena Forbes's "Die with Me" opens in a gloomy London churchyard, where the inscription on a tombstone reads "How short is life. How soon comes death." In this dour setting, a mysterious man has arranged a tryst with a fourteen-year-old girl. They have planned a do-it-yourself-wedding ceremony, but instead of going on a honeymoon, they plan to commit suicide and be together forever in the hereafter. What the innocent teenager does not realize is that "Tom," which is what her supposed bridegroom calls himself, is a fraud. He has no intention of committing suicide, but he does enjoy sending women to their deaths--alone.

Detective Inspector Mark Tartaglia, Detective Sergeant Sam Donovan, and the rest of the murder team set out to find a sadist who has conducted this twisted courtship ritual with more than one lonely and depressed female. Tartaglia has been feeling a bit down himself. His boss and close friend, DCI Trevor Clarke, lies in a coma after crashing his motorbike, and the prognosis is grim. With Clarke out of commission, Detective Superintendent Clive Cornish names Tartaglia acting Senior Investigating Officer. Adding to his misery, Tartaglia still has feelings for pathologist Fiona Blake, whom he dumped when he learned of her engagement to another man. Unfortunately, he and Blake still have to work together, and this makes for some awkward and embarrassing encounters. Meanwhile, Sam Donovan carefully hides her attraction to Mark, who is "bloody gorgeous." She has accepted the fact that they are "good mates" who have an effective working relationship. There is no time for romance when you are working day and night, including weekends, trying to catch a serial killer.

Tracking down "Tom" proves to be an exercise in futility. The man is a chameleon and an expert at disguising his appearance and intentions. There are few witnesses and no useful forensic evidence. When the scope of the investigation widens and details are leaked to the press, Cornish puts DCI Carolyn Steele in charge of the inquiry. Tartaglia resents Steele and loathes her former lover, Patrick Kennedy, whom she brings in as a Behavioural Investigative Analyst (psychological profiler).

Forbes has written a fast-paced and skillfully constructed police procedural with an intriguing mix of well-delineated characters. Although Mark Tartaglia is a bit arrogant and aggressive, he is a dedicated cop whose hunches and hard work frequently pay off. Sam Donovan puts in long hours with few complaints, but she sorely misses having a life outside of work. DCI Carolyn Steele is a strong and determined woman who does her best to crack the case of the "Bridegroom Killer," but she is frustrated at her lack of progress and is repelled when she begins receiving a series of threatening emails, apparently from the villain whom they are seeking. The criminal, whom the author introduces early on, is a standard issue psychopath who has an uncanny ability to elude the authorities. Forbes includes some red herrings to muddy the waters a bit, and concludes with the requisite surprise ending, which will not come as a huge shock to alert readers. However, she is careful not to tie up too many loose ends, since a sequel is already in the works. Most readers will be eager to learn what happens next to Tartaglia and company. "Die with Me" is an auspicious and entertaining debut novel.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A first-class introduction to what I can only hope will be a first-rate series, December 7, 2007

By 

Bookreporter (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Die With Me (Paperback)

To my mind, one of the most important aspects of whether an ongoing mystery series succeeds or fails is if readers are, ultimately, just as compelled by the inner struggles and interpersonal relationships among its protagonists as they are by the mystery plot itself. After all, these police officers and detectives are the ones readers will have to spend time with, book after book. If they're not interesting, what's the point? Based on her first novel, promising new author Elena Forbes is one mystery writer who agrees with me. Featuring not only a charismatic, elusive serial killer but also a complex cast of investigators, each of whom carries his or her own compelling story, DIE WITH ME is a first-class introduction to what I can only hope will be a first-rate series.

At the center of the investigation is a mysterious killer named "Tom," a charming, handsome stranger who engages in suicide pacts with young, emotionally vulnerable women. When they meet to kill themselves, only one of them ends up dying --- usually drugged by Tom and hurled to fall to her death. As for Tom, he walks away, emotionally charged by the act of committing murder and already plotting to find his next victim.

Assigned to the case is London detective Mark Tartaglia, a jaded investigator who has been trying to cope with the facts that his superior officer is in a coma and has been replaced by Carolyn Steele, an attractive, confident but sometimes abrasive investigator who is a little too close to the psychological profiler who has been assigned to the case, a pompous jerk with whom Tartaglia has clashed on a previous case. He is also sorting out his feelings about medical examiner Fiona Blake, with whom he had a one-night stand weeks ago.

Tartaglia's partner, Samantha (Sam) Donovan, has picked up on Tartaglia and Blake's attraction for one another --- and she's trying not to let her own disappointment over these developments cloud her work on the case. A sharp investigator, Donovan is also single and lonely --- a combination that might lead to heartache...or worse.

Rounding out the staff of investigators are several other secondary characters, each of whom adds his or her own personality and perspective to the problem at hand. Even as the officers run into a series of brick walls, red herrings and missed opportunities as they attempt to track down Tom, readers are drawn into not only the search for the killer but also into the behind-the-scenes intrigues and conflicts that develop during the investigation.

For those who, as I did, get drawn up in these characters' lives and work, there's good news. Forbes skillfully combines an open-ended narrative with just enough closure to satisfy ardent mystery fans. Given the number of unanswered questions, though, not to mention the ominous, forward-looking ending, it's clear that Forbes intends to explore her compelling cast of characters in what promises to be a gripping ongoing series. I can't wait for the next one.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The cold light of day was so harsh and unforgiving..., November 13, 2007

By 

Michael Leonard "MikeonAlpha" (Silver Lake, Los Angeles, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Die With Me (Paperback)

Bringing the wet and chilly streets of London to life, author Elena Forbes, in her debut suspense novel Die With Me, introduces a crack group of police investigators who are called upon to investigate a series of suspect suicides in the West London suburb of Barnes.

The novel begins with a meeting in a neglected church where an older man meets a teenage girl and where, in the cold and wintry light of the evening, he promises to her that "we're in this together, just you and I." Frantically lapping up his words about love and about death, and also opening a veritable floodgate of confession and neediness, this unidentified man can barely contain himself when this young girl finally becomes his.

Meanwhile, Detective Inspector Mark Tartaglia is set adrift after his boss and friend Trevor Clark has been hospitalized after a motorcycle accident. Stretched out in bed and in a coma and obviously out of action for the foreseeable future, Trevor can do little to assuage Mark's insecurities at becoming the acting Senior Investigating Officer. But before he can even stop to take a breath, Mark is called, together with his trusted colleague Sam Donovan, to the scene of a suspicious death.

The victim is a fourteen-year-old girl by the name of Gemma Kramer, who supposedly fell from the organ gallery inside St, Sebastian's church two days ago. At first, Ealing CID initially assumed it was an accident or a suicide, as they didn't find anything suspicious. After a pretty cursory forensic exam of the ground floor, the crime scene was released.

But just after the church was cleaned up and re-opened for business, a witness suddenly materialized out of the woodwork saying she saw the girl going into the church with a man a couple of hours before her body was found and they were clearly seen kissing outside. Upon closer examination, the whole incident seems to have been carefully prepared with lit candles and burning incense, and then the girl had fallen to her death while the man suddenly disappeared.

Seeking answers, Mark turns to the local Pathologist and ex-girlfriend Fiona Blake, who after running a full toxic analysis tells him that Gemma had traces of alcohol and GHB in her system even although there appears to be no sexual motivation for the crime. Mark, however, is certain that Gemma's death was no accident, especially when Fiona tells him that a lock of the girl's hair had been cut off and pulled out at the root, as though it had been sliced right off at the scalp.

Working diligently, Mark, Sam, and their team start checking the Coroners' records for suicides of young women in London over the last couple of years, even though Donovan is sure there is no grounds so far to think Gemma's death was anything other than a one-off. Soon they uncover the records of two other girls who met a similar fate: Ellie Best and Laura Beneditti, both under twenty and who were both severely depressed.

Suddenly a portrait develops of a terrifying new serial killer who is preying on the young, the naïve and the easily suggestible, vulnerable teenage girls who feel as though there is very little hope and very little to live for. And then there's the thirty-something Marion Spear, who came down from the North to work as an estate agent, in Ealing and who reportedly fell to her death from the roof of a car park.

The way Marion died was so different to the other three; there was no suicide note, and the local CID investigation into Spear's death had been cursory at best with the verdict again accidental death. Even though she only lived a few blocks away from where Gemma was killed, she just doesn't fit the victim profile. On the day she had died she had taken a client to visit a flat, after that nobody saw her again and the flat was quite close to the car park where she fell.

Mark is positive that Marion's age and state of mind are important considerations in a case that is threatening to disrupt the cohesiveness of his unit. When DCI Carolyn Steele arrives to head up the case and replace Clark, much to Mark's annoyance, she turns to the cocky forensic pathologist Patrick Kennedy for advice. Self seeking and arrogant so unashamedly sure of himself, Kennedy is only too prepared to dismiss Marion Speer's death so categorically.

Mark is positive that Marion Spear could be an early victim. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking, and unless Mark and Donavon can establish the connection between Laura, Ellie and Gemma, the killer will strike probably again. When Steele starts receiving emails, a portrait begins to emerge of a cold and manipulative killer who is organized with a grandiose sense of self-worth and who is incapable of feeling empathy, guilt or remorse.

A page-turner from the outset, Forbes' police investigators are compelling characters as she details all of their insecurities and flaws as they battle petty departmental politics while also racing against time to catch the killer. When the suspects gradually line-up, all eyes point towards the bookshop owner Harry Angel, the man whom Marion Spear had been showing a flat and the last person to known to have seen her alive, even though there is no apparent motive and nothing to link Angel to the crime scene.

The cold light of day can indeed certainly be ruthless and unforgiving and the author bathes her novel in a sort of eerie and brittle glow, the descriptions of rain-driven streets of London adding much to the suspenseful atmosphere. As the story races towards a heart-stopping climax on this preternaturally harsh London winter, Mark, Sam and Carolyn discover that the enemy, the murderer of these poor young women, is hiding just where they least expect, forever lurking in the unlikeliest of places, ready to strike just when they least expect. Mike Leonard October 07.