I absolutely adore the Murder Notebooks series! Butterfly Grave by Anne Cassidy is the third book in this series and just as we were able to explore more about Rose and her past in the previous book, in Butterfly Grave not only do we get some very crucial information regarding Rose's mum and Joshua's dad and the things they have been involved in, but we also learn a bit more about Joshua and Skeggsie's life prior to the start of the series. I found it all very interesting and I thought Butterfly Grave, while slightly slower in pace, was a fab addition to the series. I am now eagerly anticipating the fourth and final book, Dead and Buried, which is being published in March.
Butterfly Grave begins just before Christmas and Joshua has invited Rose to come spend the holidays up in Newcastle with him and Skeggsie following Joshua's uncle's fall from a cliff. It is thought that Joshua's uncle may have fallen whilst walking his dog but when Joshua and Rose start poking around, it is found that things are much complicated than they first appear and that Joshua's uncle may be more involved with things. I think one of things I love the best about this series is how well written the mystery is. I can never guess as I'm going along what will happen next or who will be responsible for all that is going wrong around these three teenagers.
But of course, being surrounded by murder and dead bodies has taken its toll on Joshua in this book. He's constantly on edge with worry and paranoia, obsessively checking the license plates of those he believes to be following him and making sure that Rose is vigilant as well. It's not all for nothing as this book does answer quite a few questions about the disappearance of Rose and Joshua's parents, about the butterfly tattoos and the beginning of the murder notebooks. But these answers also come at a very steep price.
I still love Rose and Joshua. Their relationship has just been really heartbreaking up to now, with Rose being so unsure about revealing her feelings for him. Every time we meet someone new and one or the other introduces Rose or Joshua as the other's sort of step-sibling and my heart ached just that little bit more. Despite the unconventionality of it, I really want to see where this thing between them will lead.
I really love this series. I love the murder mystery of it and how each book solves one particular murder but also offer more clues to the overall mystery of the disappearance of Rose's mum and Joshua's dad. I love the excitement and thrill that comes with uncovering these secrets but I also really love the characters and how much their relationships pull at my heart strings. The Murder Notebooks series is such a wonderful set of books! I highly recommend that you pick them up to read if you haven't already done so!
So glad you enjoyed the third book! It's always a good feeling when the books in series stay strong and well-written. Unfortunately I didn't like the second book but maybe that's because I read it without reading the first one beforehand. I don't usually do that but it was sent for review. Ah well, maybe I'll re-read The Murder Notebooks from the beginning :) Great review!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you read the second book in the series before the first! That would give me heart palpitations...
DeleteI havent read this series but just read Looking For JJ and loved it, so I might have to read these!
ReplyDeleteYes, you really should! Love this series so much. (I haven't read Looking For JJ yet!)
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