Dead in Venice

Dead in Venice by Fiona Leitch is a funny dark crime tale. It's about Bella a very human and relatable character, who's flaws make her come alive for me. Will is another character that I found easy to believe in.

The other great character in the book is Venice and here Fiona uses language to create pictures that take me there.

The story has both light and dark parts deal well with it's subject matter. It also has a lot of funny moments that help build the characters so that I cared what happened to them.

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6 people found this helpful

Entertaining

Chick-lit. A romance with dead bodies. I’ll read most anything about Venice and I like murder mysteries, so I was okay with it. Unfortunately I could see the plot twists a mile away but still, it was reasonably entertaining. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether it is right for you.

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Get giddy on a gondola

Romantic and amusing with a few gruesome murders thrown in. A thoroughly good listen with some well written descriptive narratives that whisk you away to Venice. There were hints of a sequel and I, for one, would buy it. Well worth a listen.

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2 people found this helpful

Made me laugh out loud!!

Yes the plot line was pretty obvious but no less enjoyable! Love the way Fiona Leitch writes her characters…can’t help thinking that they’re perhaps based on her own self…? Also loved the narrator, she seemed to really enjoy the book too….bit of a dodgy Italian accent here and there! Great fun!!!!

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Best Audiobook EVER

Wow, where do I start with this! This is a different kind of tour and one I loved as it was an audiobook review! I hated having to go to work because I just wanted to sit and listen all day in the car. I was a goner from the opening lines!

I have to say you need to go and buy this audiobook straight away! Deryn Edwards who reads this masterpiece is absolutely fantastic as Bella! I was laughing so much when she was reading. She got Bella, she got her voice to a tee! It was a fantastic pairing, and she does such a great service to Fiona’s book!

Bella, a successful crime writer who is suffering from writer’s block thanks to her slimy ex-husband, whisks herself off to Venice staying in someone’s apartment, all thanks to an email from someone but who is Francesa? Why are people being killed in Venice? And what is with the creepy mask on the book cover!!??!

When listening to the book, it felt more like I was having a conversation with the author by the way it was written. It was so conversational, a bit of casual swearing and berating when Bella is trying to write her novel. I loved the added extras in this book, all the inner monologues were hilarious! There was a lot of voice-overs, that you see on TV where characters are in their own head whilst in a scene, it was brilliantly done and played out. Bella is so real! The way she spoke, well like I say it is like having a conversation like she is telling me her story over a cup of tea or in our case a glass of wine! She hides behind the humour when uncomfortable, swears a lot but she is so down to earth and she does not mince her words!

Will, well he is dashing! In my head, I kept picturing the author Will Dean, I think because of seeing all the photos of “Bloody Scotland” festival, and to be fair he is a bit dashing too. So the whole time that is who I pictured – sidetracked there sorry!

The story, however, is a hard story when you find out why these people are being murdered. It was sad and makes you angry when you realise what is going on and why and my heart went out to one said person. When you get to the reveal, I never saw it coming and people must have thought I was weirder than normal when driving as my jaw was open the whole time, I was gobsmacked and speechless (Yes it happens..sometimes….).

I can honestly say, I was enjoying this audiobook so much I did not sit there trying to figure out who was doing the killings but I went with it, and it added so much more to my enjoyment. Instead of playing detective, I got caught up in Bella and Will and followed the clues. I got to picture the river taxis, the sights, the cafes and take it all in. I want to go to Venice so much more now, it all sounded mesmerising.

Fiona’s writing and Deryn’s voice is an amazing, head blowing combination. Fiona’s words flow, her characters are built, and Deryn she becomes their actual voice, she adds to bringing them to life.

Two things, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE, in fact, I DEMAND this be on the big screen, tv series maybe? and two I do so hope that there will be a second book, maybe in New York, especially as the author casually dropped it in on Twitter…. maybe even a character called Zoe who, at my suggestion, dies horribly! Fingers crossed for this!! **Exciting update, it appears Paris Catacombs are being researched, see you later I am off***

I really do not think I have conveyed in my review how much I loved it, but if you listen carefully you may hear me all the way from Dover shouting about it! #Gobuythisaudiobook

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1 person found this helpful

Perfectly plotted!

I bloody loved this and finished it over the course of two days.
As the blurb tells us, Bella has a nasty case of writer's block and so jumps at the chance of a holiday to Italy for some inspiration. Once there she meets Will. The posh Englishman who seems far too perfect but whom she quickly starts to fall for.
I love Bella. I really do. Told from her point of view, I was inside her head and completely absorbed in everything she said and did, and I was rooting for her for the off. Working with authors in my day job I know how crippling writer's block can be, so I was hoping for her to overcome it … and boy does she!
When she arrives in Italy, everything is new and tense and this isn’t helped by the fact she speaks no Italian. What follows is a bit of a slow to build plot which twists and turns as the folk lore Bella has started to research for her book start to come true! Some of the tales had me shuddering, but I do love that kind of thing, so it was right up my street.
Being in a strange country, Bella has no one. No one she can properly turn to, apart from hot toff, Will. But from the off there’s something about him that isn’t quite right … or is there? Bella has recently divorced, and so trust isn’t the easiest thing for her grasp, but what choice does she have?
With a strong cast of characters, it was easy to fall into this one and not want to hit the pause button.
My only ‘issue’ was the genre … with the blurb telling us about the folk lore and an asylum and murders, I was expecting something different, something more mainstream and defined in that particular genre, what we actually get is a combination of gritty crime thriller, hilarious rom-com, with a splash of the heart-wrenching emotions. And it works.
It works so well, and I loved it. Completely.
And I love it when that happens; when I’m expecting one thing and get something so much more instead.
Bella is real, and her story feels real. It’s the kinda thing I daydream about happening to me. I want to go somewhere and have weird and crazy and scary things happen to me! She is literally living her storyline, and it’s wonderful.
I’d strongly recommend this one, folks!
It’s great!

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1 person found this helpful

brill.

by turns funny, chilling and even a little taste of horror. the voice artist is really good, helps get you into the spirit of the book. the ending, a little unexpected but had me grinning from ear to ear.

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Romcom murder mystery

Thoroughly enjoyed this clever and refreshing romcom/murder mystery that manages to keep you laughing whilst also tackling a difficult subject matter with sensitivity. Hope there’s more “Dead in ...” stories in the pipeline!

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Not as long as I would have liked.

probably the shortest audible book I've ever purchased, feel slightly baffled that I've used a credit on this , loved that it was Venice but apart from that not very impressed

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Very entertaining

A good story that flowed well. Some nice twists and a good plot. So well read too

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