User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
AK Turner writes an engaging crime mystery set in London and featuring an intriguing and edgy Camden mortuary technician, 25 year old Cassie Raven, a goth with her dyed hair, lip ring, eyebrow bolt, and wariness of the police. Conscientious Cassie takes her care of the dead seriously, even staying with dead children through the night, gifted with the ability to talk to the dead. She lost her parents very young in a car crash, brought up by her beloved bright and courageous Polish grandmother who has never been forthcoming about her father, although she had never hid her dislike of him. Cassie developed early in childhood an affinity with dead animals, she is currently doing a online beginner's course in taxidermy, and spent time living in squats in her past. She is the textbook loner, reluctant to let people too close her, which has resulted in all her relationships, with men and women, being of short duration.
A new pathologist has started, Dr Archie Cuff, a man who makes the common mistake of underestimating Cassie's abilities, she has often proved to be of invaluable help to pathologists, due to her education and experience. Totally loving her work and at home with the dead, Cassie is shocked when her surrogate mother, mentor and science teacher, 51 year old Mrs Geraldine Edwards's body turns up at the mortuary. Mrs E. was responsible for rescuing Cassie from a bleak future of drugs and the streets, believing in her and building her self esteem, bringing her back into education and responsible for her working in her current profession. Cassie cannot believe Mrs E. has died so young, leaving behind a son, Owen, that she cannot help trying to find out what happened to her. In the meantime, there are strange goings on at the mortuary when the body of an elderly man is taken at night. This brings in the police, a uptight, judgemental DS Phyllida Flyte, who initially views Cassie as a prime suspect, but the two eventually tentatively begin to become closer.
AK Turner's new series is well plotted and well written, an absorbing piece of crime fiction with a terrific and unusual protagonist in Cassie, driven to do all that she can to ensure justice for Mrs E., a teacher who had been instrumental in turning her life around. Cassie contrasts sharply as a character with Flyte, a police officer with a traumatic history of grief and loss she has yet to come terms with. Turner develops their relationship with skill, I presume laying the groundwork for what I assume will turn out to be first of a series featuring the two of them. This is a compulsive and entertaining read, that I think will particularly appeal to those who love forensic science playing a leading role in their crime fiction. Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for an ARC.
Rating: really liked it
A.K. Turner totally failed... Failed on the marketing of this book because the story itself was incredible!!!
I'm anxious to read the sequel - that was published this year - and see more of Cassie (our main protagonist) and maybe a possible love relationship with the cop Flyte (another main protagonist) and of course - another mystery thriller case of murder.
Rating: really liked it
Body Language is the first instalment in a new supernatural thriller series, set in Camden, London and featuring 25-year-old mortuary technician Cassie Raven, a goth-girl living with her Polish grandma, whose parents were killed in a car accident before she could remember them. She a loner, an introvert who is cynical and doesn't trust people easily unless they've earned it. The job suits her; the dead sometimes ‘speak’ to her and she has visions of their lives before they died. These fleeting ‘communications’ are a source of intrigue and comfort to Cassie but don’t spill over into her life outside work. Cassie’s world is rocked when her old science teacher, 51-year-old Geraldine Edwards, is brought into the morgue – Cassie owes her a great deal as she saved her from a life of drugs and homelessness by tempting her back into education – and is perturbed by the inconclusive autopsy. Meanwhile, the body of elderly Harold Hardwick vanishes from the morgue and fingers are pointed at Cassie – it was her passcode that was used to gain entry. When the missing body is found in a bag in the canal five days later DS Phyllida Flyte is called in to investigate and when Cassie herself is attacked she begins to wonder whether these things may be connected and sets off to investigate…
This is a compulsive, engrossing and twisty read, and although I'm not usually a fan of thrillers with a supernatural element to them, it worked brilliantly in this case. It's well written and carefully plotted, and protagonist, Cassie, is a breath of fresh air; she has an intriguing backstory, she's flawed and human and a tad weird which all makes her very relatable. She's also a quirky and refreshingly original character and the type we rarely see in crime fiction. Unique, compelling and spirited, Cassie Raven is a captivating character and Alison Turner weaves a clever story that keeps you guessing the whole way with great twists and turns. It's a compelling read from first page to last and the way it is written it just flows beautifully and you quickly become immersed in Cassie’s world. It's well-paced, gripping and entertaining, although I wasn't sure about DS Flyte, who came across as a judgemental battle-axe who appears emotionally cold and initially this makes her quite abrasive. She’s certainly interesting, though, and the two get off on the wrong foot at the beginning but mellow as it progresses. There's also a lot of information about forensics and mortuary etiquette, which I found fascinating. This riveting and thoroughly enjoyable page-turner comes highly recommended.
Rating: really liked it
Laboured mortuary set crime caper that drags with two underdeveloped mystery elements.Having enjoyed A.K Turner’s Kiszka and Kershaw novels written under her pen name of Anya Lipska I was keen to read Body Language, despite the kooky premise of a mortuary technician with a sixth sense communing with the dead. Twenty-five-year-old Cassie Raven is an archetypical rebel with tattoos, piercings, a shaved undercut and a serious mistrust of the police but she is also very conscientious and not to underestimated. Having worked as a mortuary technician for five years and acquired enough qualifications at evening classes to train to become a coroner she prides herself on treating the dead with respect and taking the utmost care of her clients. Brought up by his Polish grandmother after her parents died in a car crash in her early years, Cassie has long had a strange relationship with death and has difficulty forming lasting romantic relationships, being reluctant to let people in.
Cassie’s personal involvement in her job goes to new lengths when she unzips a body bag to be confronted by the face of the woman who taught her science and was pivotal in taking her from squats and casual drug usage to her current career. Discovering that Geraldine Edwards (“Mrs E”) was only fifty-one and in the best of health, Cassie gets a intuitive feeling that there is something a little fishy about the way she died. Deciding to do a bit of her own investigating and ensure Mrs E gets the justice she deserves Cassie is surprised to learn about her recent engagement and the arrival of her alcoholic adult son pushing for a quick cremation adds to her concerns. Meanwhile the theft of a body overnight from the mortuary sees the officious DS Phyllida Flyte arrive to investigate. A recent transfer from leafy Winchester for personal reasons and none too keen on her grubby new beat, DS Flyte quickly takes a dislike to Cassie’s alternative appearance and surly demeanour and makes her number one suspect for the body theft. As the gradual frostiness between cop and mortuary technician thaws, each coming to realise that they might both be able to help each other, Cassie decides to shed some light on the missing body in return for DS Flyte doing a little bit of digging about the circumstances of Mrs E’s death.
Although there are two mystery elements at play I didn’t find either particularly compelling not helped by the fact that so much is overexplained, slowing the narrative down and dragging the story out. Whether Cassie experiences the apparitions and words of the recently deceased or whether she projects them onto the customers she is taking care of is not made entirely clear but either way I found it a far too tenuous starting point for a realistic mystery, particularly one that uptight DS Phyllida Flyte’s goes to entirely unrealistic lengths to investigate. Narrated in the third person the story switches between focusing on Cassie and DS Flyte, allowing the reader to be privy to both of their separate efforts. Overall I just think the book tried too hard to be edgy and descended into a stupidly far-fetched caper with policing along the lines of a cosy mystery. The main characters had me cringing and Cassie’s supposedly druggy past and DS Phyllida Flyte’s awkward persona were harped on about to the point that it became tiresome.
Despite being set in a mortuary the story isn’t dark or gritty at all and both mystery elements become a little farcical and I doubt I will be following any future outings. I was, however, very impressed with the obvious amount of research undertaken and the author did a superb job of broadening my knowledge of the post-mortem procedure and illustrating the differences between a routine and a forensic post-mortem.
Rating: really liked it
Camden Mortuary assistant Cassie Raven has pretty much seen it all. But this is the first time she's come face to face with someone she knows on the slab. Someone she cared about, her friend and mentor Mrs E. Deeply intuitive and convinced she can pick up the last thoughts of the dead, Cassie senses that there must be more to the ruling of accidental death. Is grief making her see things that aren't there, or is intuition right and theres something more sinister to her friends death than the ME thinks?
Cassie Raven has a difficult past and I liked the fact that she could listen to the dead and she has the ability to analyse key details. The first half of the book is quite graphic. Cassie is strong willed, compassionate, feisty and unique. I also liked DS Phyllida Flyte even though she's a bit of a cold fish. This is a very well written book and I was hooked straight away.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #BonnierBooksUK and the author #AKTurner for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
I really loved this. I loved how the author made the characters real, human. I loved that A,K, Turner showed so carefully you cannot go by the looks of a person so see what they are truly made of. I loved that Cassie, despite everything else, was a main character that was totally honest...
Rating: really liked it
I couldn't recommend this book more! It's a thriller mixed with mystery that has so many twists! I didn't see them coming, but every time one happened I was excited for the next!
Cassie and Flyte are both such independent, strong females, and the friendship that blossoms really helps develop the story.
There is so much that happens, starting from the tragic falling asleep and drowning of Mrs E, Cassie's former teacher and ending with murder, love and jealousy.
Absolutely amazing and an interesting, intriguing book too!
Rating: really liked it
I was sent this to review as an ARC as the book I won could not be processed.
I throughly enjoyed this book! I struggled to read this last month or so picked this book up and read it in 24 hours! Late night page turning for this one! This book was addictive for me and I was so absorbed I found myself losing time just wanting to know how it ends. Just couldn’t put it down!
Cassie is a great protagonist. I like her character her individual ways her relationship with her nan end her back story and how to she came to work with dead people. I found myself seeing her as a young emelia fox in Silent Witness solving the murders left and finding the clues for the police.
The author has done research and I found myself learning new things about bodies, cadavers and pathology in general I enjoyed the Latin too. I feel like this could become a series and this is just the open door to a new London based crime series on the block.
Rating: really liked it
Body Language was a great read, with two main characters who were utterly engaging in different ways, a mystery element that was cleverly plotted and intriguing and a darkly evocative backdrop in the mortuary.
It is a little bit different to the norm with Cassie’s outlook on life and death – and of course the possibility that the dead speak to her- she is flawed and realistic with an oddly ironic moral code that comes across well and puts you on her side.
The story spins itself out in a truly addictive style which makes this an easy book to devour in one sitting, with a refreshing edge to it that means you’ll finish it and find yourself wanting more
Loved it. Recommended.
Rating: really liked it
This was an interesting read which did keep me turning pages until the end but I felt a sense of disconnect throughout although not sure why.....
I felt that maybe I expected more from such an intriguing blurb and comments on here!
I wouldn’t necessarily run to the shop to read another book by this author but I definitely wouldn’t by pass it either!
Rating: really liked it
A.K. Turner is a new author for me and I really enjoyed this book.
Cassie is a mortuary technician and when she is faced with someone she knows in a body bag, her heart stops.
The Police have said it was an accidental drowning in the bath but Cassie is not convinced.
Cassie hears messages from the dead so when Mrs E asks her to help her, she knows her death was not an accident, but murder.
Detective Flyte meets Cassie after another person is taken to the mortuary and Cassie asks for her help in finding Mrs E’s killer.
They make a great team as each of them find out new pieces of information that leads them to the killer.
This is a great crime thriller that well and truly had me hooked throughout the book.
Thanks to Bonnier Books UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Rating: really liked it
On my blog Rep: bi mc and li
CWs: descriptions of autopsies, murder, drug abuse and drug overdoses, mentions of domestic abuse
Galley provided by publisherBody Language is a solid first book of a series, introducing a new detective/sidekick duo (or maybe I should say mortuary technician/detective-who-is-the-sidekick duo). It’s just also a book that never really hooked me.
The plot follows Cassie Raven, said mortuary technician, and the detective who she, more often than not, clashes with. There are two mysteries at play in the book, to be honest. One, following the disappearance of a corpse from the mortuary, and a second, where Cassie suspects foul play in what seems otherwise to be a routine case.
My first thought was that the writing wasn’t for me, so really, it was an inauspicious start. But the writing never quite reached the levels of mehness that some books I’ve read have, so that didn’t, ultimately (and thankfully!), factor into my feelings about the book overly much.
Instead, I think what let me down about it was the mystery. I mentioned there were two simultaneous mysteries, but, in all honesty, neither of them truly compelled me to keep reading. I mean, yes, I was curious what the denouement would be, and who would be exposed as having done it, and that twist did surprise me. But. But.
I was never really
compelled. I was never burning with curiosity to find out what had happened. And finding out who did it, and that it was explained as (spoilers!!) that character being “psycho” felt somewhat of a copout.
But then again. Maybe I’ve been watching too many murder mystery shows.
Rating: really liked it
Body language introduces one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. Losing both her parents in a car crash, at a young age Cassie Raven goes to live with her polish grandmother and starts an obsession with dead things. Then as a teen she starts to rebel and moves out to live in squats and take drugs, her turn around comes from a chance meeting, while selling the Big Issue, with science teacher Mrs Edwards. Signing up to her course at the adult education centre she gets her A levels and now works as a technician in a mortuary.
She cares for the dead as if they are still living and shows them a great deal of tenderness, often getting fleeting moments of an almost supernatural response from them. Until the day Mrs Edwards is on her table from an apparent drowning, being found dead in the bath at only fifty one. Then a body goes missing from the morgue, the police get involved and Cassie who distrusts the police immensely is the number one suspect.
Narrated by Cassie and then also DS Flyte this is a fast paced read with short snappy chapters that held me in complete rapture. With a unique protagonist, Carrie not only spoke to the dead she spoke to me. I too was obsessed by death, horror and the macabre from a young age and I find it more strange that people shy away from it. We are all going to get there eventually after all.
So if you fancy a crime thriller with a difference and a complicated unusual main character, this will pull you in with the back story and keep you there with the deftly crafted plot.
Rating: really liked it
I think I tend to score audios higher as I feel I know the characters
Loved the characters in this. Cassie was sharp with soft edges. She hears the dead people who she deals with in her job in a morgue talk to her. Leading her to know the death of her science teacher wasn’t all it seemed
Rating: really liked it
god I loved this!! really fast paced. I was gripped straight away
