Dead Girls Don't Blog

Murder Blog Mysteries #1

by Pamela Frost Dennis

What Would You Do If The Man Who Murdered Your Friend Could Get Paroled?

As Katy McKenna struggles to rebuild the career she suspended to chase her cheating was-band's dreams, her life suddenly takes a dramatic turn when she stumbles upon a newspaper story about an impending parole hearing for the man who raped and murdered her high school friend sixteen years ago.

Sickened that he could soon be preying on other young girls, Katy throws caution to the wind and sets out to make sure this doesn't happen, not realizing she might not survive to blog about it.

Sometimes, doing the right thing can get you killed.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Chick Lit

266 pages, ebook

First published April 15, 2014

About the author

After writing YA (young adult), funny radio commercials, and a screenplay - "Reality Check", I have found my favorite writing genre...Murder Mysteries with a touch of humor.

"Dead Girls Don't Blog" #1 in the Murder Blog Mysteries was awarded the B.R.A.G. Medallion for excellence in Indie Publishing.

"Better Dead Than Wed" is #2.

"Coins and Cadavers" is #3.

"Was It Murder?" is #4

"While She Slumbered" is #5

I also have a boxed collection of the first three books/

What readers are saying about Dead Girls Don't Blog:

"...One of those book's you can't wait to see what happens next. By the time I got to the end I wanted more. Can't wait for the next installment. Soon Please!" ~ June Kiger on Amazon

"I usually never write reviews on books but I just have to say that I truly loved this book..." ~ CJ on Amazon

"Here's a toast to Pamela Frost Dennis for a delightful mystery read that left me with a smile on my face..." ~ Claire on Amazon

Reviews

[Nancy Jarvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was expecting a cozy and Pamela's book certainly has a charming protagonist, quirky characters, and humor which makes me want to read her next book, but there is a dark side to her writing. Interspersed in the present is her character trying to stop a rapist and killer from getting parole. The book flips to 1996 as the horrendous crime that led up to the imprisonment of the man she wants to keep in prison is told from the perspective of the victim and the perpetrators. Some of the descriptions are disturbing; what makes for a complex read is that the perpetrators are in many ways as innocent as their victim. Well done.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Up for parole already??? After what he did??? But then there are wackos getting involved also. I enjoyed the story and recommend the book.

[Heather W · Rating 1 out of 5]

A story that sets out to do well, and then fails. Spending far too much time on the murder and rape of a 15 year old while at the same time making the reader feel that there is a gross misjustice done as the guy accused is not the one we should be punishing to the extent that the blurb suggests. Oh, don't get me wrong he is a nasty piece of work - I just don't think he deserves the amount of vitriol he receives while the main perp gets away and his name is never attributed to the case - at all. It is annoying that we almost feel sympathy for him - but that is not what I wanted. I also think that the lack of case (as soon as the character is introduced it is fairly obvious who is after our MC - we get told about the other case) was a distinct weakness. It is not a fun read.

[Claire - The Coffeeholic Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's a toast to Pamela Frost Dennis for a delightful mystery read that left me with a smile on my face. I really love murder/crime mysteries, the never-ending feeling of anticipation and shock always make my day. I could never get tired reading mysteries and Dead Girl's Don't Blog is not an exception.

I loved how Katy McKenna shares her thoughts on her blog and on the whole book as well. She's quirky, snarky and feisty. Her blog entries cracked me up, something I fail to deliver on my own blog. Ha! She's a talented artist who wasn't much lucky in love. Then her inner sisterly instinct got the best of her when she learned of Phil Hobart's impending release in prison after serving 15 years in prison, for the rape/kidnapping/murder charges of her high school friend, Lindsay Moore. Phil actually confessed all the things he and his friends had done to Lindsay and has been in incarceration for more than a decade, but Katy felt that it was her civic obligation to make sure that the parole for Phil Hobart wouldn't happen. Little did she know, she attracted danger when she started digging about her friend's rape/murder case. Mystery surrounded her when she learned Hobart’s mom went ballistic after seeing her petition. I myself was mad about the convict's freedom, but there were times when I actually pitied him. But justice has to be served and what better way to serve this than with a hot Katy on the trail.

I was also overwhelmed by Katy's cohorts, namely her pets Daisy & Tabitha, plus there’s dear old wise Grandma! Ruby is hilarious! Never a dull moment with her, she is an enigma! I love everything in this book and would be thrilled if the author writes another one. Kudos to her for writing a true-to-life story that has a heart and full of adventures. Now, let me do some action on my own blog, too…

[Christina/ The Blog for Teachers, Readers, & Life! · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can safely say this is NOT a cozy mystery. It features a graphic rape, murder, language... it was a recommendation from Amazon when I was perusing cozy mysteries. After reading a few pages and realizing this was not a cozy, it was like passing a car accident. I was compelled to see how it ended.
This was very heavy. I think part of my issue with this book was that I thought it was a cozy mystery.

The author explains that she had created a similar petition as the one featured in this book. I give her props for that.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is a mystery that tackles a hard subject, but the author has included a delightfully quirky heroine and some humor that make it a really good read. The story line keeps your guessing from the first pages and kept me turning pages to see what could possibly happen next. I definitely look forward to reading more by this author.

[Sandra Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I'm amazed at all the mishaps that plague Katy! She is one gutsy girl. This is the first time I have ever felt even a twinge of sorrow for a rapist, but the character of Phil gained my sympathy. The author was good at showing how someone could be pulled into an act that he would normally never commit.

[Sara Eames · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written dark thriller with a shocking crime at its core. Based very loosely on a real-life story, this tale is difficult to read at times, but is an excellent thriller. I look forward to reading more in this series. Highly recommended.

[Shawn Traxler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, sucked me in from the start

I already mentioned this. I believe it was will written and it truly sucked me into the story. I mostly listen to audio books these days but still get written ones now and again. It's been quite some time since I've had a book I just couldn't put down.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Girls Don’t Blog has a good balance between serious and quirky, a balance that becomes very important with the serious nature of the book. I do love that this book is based on real life perspectives and experiences, and I think that this strongly contributes to how the book turned out. I found that I could easily imagine myself in the shoes of Katy McKenna, although I don’t think her and I would always react the same. It was nice to find a book that managed to be both intelligent and funny without going overboard in either direction.

I will be looking out for the next book in the series.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love me a good mystery. Fictional only; I'm not in board with all the true crime. The blurb for this was interesting, it hooked me enough (especially being in kindle unlimited). This cute, fun, quirky read was exactly what was ordered for the weekend! Grab this story and jump in to the new life of Katy McKenna. She is 31 and starting over, or maybe picking life back up, when a newspaper article about a 15 year old murder sparks her in to action. I loved this ride, and following along the murder in the flashbacks. Definitely pick up for anyone needing a quick read! Is definitely helping me out of my book hangover.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling

I'll admit, I didn't have much hope for this book when I first saw the cover. However, once I began reading it, I couldn't put it down! The protagonist, Katy, was very likeable but also believable in her adventures.

There was enough backstory that you didn't feel lost, and the author, Dennis, made sure to hold our interest with undeveloped characters, and subtle promises of more to come.

I look forward to her next book in the series.

[Jan L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read about it in the paper...

Wow. I've never read such a compelling story. My emotions were diving from the absolute tragedy that unfolded of a young girls brutal rape then shakily soared with the sorrow tinged humor of Katy 's post - divorce daily drama. As both stories, eighteen years apart, are skillfully told the twists and surprises almost kept me from turnng the page. Almost.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exceeded All Expectations

I expected Katy McKenna to be an airhead, mancrazy character as so many in this genre are. While she does have her moments, she is intelligent, empathetic, and likable. I love reading and love to learn new things during the journey. The Epilogue adds so much to this story. Don't skim over it.

[cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting story and characters

Very interesting story and characters, despite the gruesome details it keep me engaged ... the ending seemed a bit abrupt, but since it is a series it may been shortened as book one and the rest developed into the next book in the series... still would highly recommend.. and now on to the next book in the series

[Starla B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The subject matter was hard, but I could not put the book down. I ended up finishing it in about two and a half hours. I am definitely interested in reading the next book in the series!

[Lillie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character is quirky and humorous, but the rape, kidnapping, and murder flashbacks are disturbing. So many points of view were described well that I had sympathy for everyone else, even to an extent the criminal.

[Jolene Fredregill · Rating 5 out of 5]

New favorite author!

Well written and plot kept me intrigued all the way to the end! Couldn't put it down until I finished the whole book! Will definitely read more of her books!!

[Delia Papas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild ride

Great characters and story. The things we do as young adults stay with us forever. Waiting for the next book

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read.

Filled with good characters and a great plot. Adding a fair amount of humor helped to make it a likeable bread.








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[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must start out by saying I loved this book. This is the first book I have read by this author but it won't be the last. It is suspenseful, funny, dramatic and everything in between.

A young girl, Lindsay, was gang raped, kidnapped and killed 15 years ago and now the killer is eligible for parole. Because Katy is so outraged that they could release a murderer from prison after only 15 years, she starts a petition asking the parole board to reject his release.

I really enjoy how the story brings us back to the crime's scene in 1996 so we can see exactly what happened before returning to the present. That aids in the reader's comprehension of both what transpired and Katy's current state of mind. Could her interference get her killed?

Katy is a fantastic protagonist. She is a three-dimensional character who is humorous, ambitious, and often gets herself into trouble. She gives off a genuine impression of being a great friend. Then there is the guy next door who always seems to show up when she needs him.

Grandma Ruby may be my favorite character. Everyone wishes they had a grandmother like her. She is eccentric, humorous, and adores her granddaughter. In addition, she is always trying to play matchmaker which frustrates Katy. Of course, there are pets. Daisy, Katy's labrador, captured my heart immediately and then there is the cat she adopted.

Compared to other books I've read, this one is a little more graphic, but it wasn't horrible at all. You better believe I wouldn't have finished it if it were horrible. It also has a few swear words, but nothing offensive. It seems to make the situation seem more realistic by fitting the facts. None of this changed the plot in the slightest. I simply bring it up so you won't be shocked when you read it.

If you love a good suspense novel with lots of twists and turns, a protagonist you adore, along with additional quirky characters & pets, you are going to love this book. I highly recommend it!

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Katy is saddened and affected by Lindsay’s story. Lindsay was a girl she used to know in high school, who went to a frat party and was gang-raped, and, later, murdered. Years later, her killer is being paroled and Katy wonders if she can do anything to prevent a killer from being released. Just off a divorce, Katy also wonders what to do with herself. A friend then suggests a blog for her anger issues.


Then the story suddenly backtracks and relives Lindsay’s harrowing and devastating crime. Back on the present, Katy decides to blog about Lindsay and what she knows, prompting more flashbacks on the girl. I am usually not too keen on back-and-forth scenarios, but I guess it kind of worked in this particular case just because I was interested to find out what happened to Lindsay. The bad thing about this particular format was that there was really no use for Katy—she couldn’t really solve anything. Another thing that was disconcerting was the mood shift. The past was full of Lindsay’s gruesome crime, generating a morbid ambiance, while the present was full of Katy’s wry quirkiness. So the reader was morbid one minute and quirky the next. It was an odd shift that was constantly jumping back and forth.

Another odd thing was that Katy doesn’t really blog in the book. Or maybe she does and the reader just doesn’t see her blog entries. Of course, I wouldn’t have liked a story written in blog entries (that’s really annoying,) but I certainly expected one or two at least. I mean, blogging is part of the title after all.

Story was well-written and interesting for the most part, but I kind of was getting tired of Katy in the end with her constant blathering and nonsensical purpose.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit I was intrigued as a blogger myself when I saw this title as I was like Oooh Blogs. Then when I saw the idea of Dead Girls Don't Blog it got me more interested. I had a whole different story running through my head on what this would be about I soon discovered once I started reading. The book started out fifteen years ago when a girl Lindsay Moore was raped and murdered coming home from a party. The next chapter jumps fifteen years into the future, and one of the convicted Philip Hobart is up for parole. Katy McKenna knew Lindsay from school and was an acquaintance. She can't believe that Philip is up for parole, after all, he not only raped her but murdered her. Katy decides to start up a petition to stop the parole release; this leads her to blog as she needs a hobby. During this book, we have two sides of the story going from Katy's view in the present time and Philip's viewpoint leading from the first time he met Lindsey right up to the day he turned himself in. We also learn the reasoning behind what happened to the other two culprits and why it is only Philip behind bars. I have to admit this was a fast-paced read and I quite liked the twist where Philip's family confronted Katy, and we learn what they went through as well. This showed readers that for every action, there are reactions from both sides of the table and often the convicted, their families can suffer tremendously too. Sometimes just as bad as the victim's families. Dead Girl's Don't Blog by Pamela Frost Dennis was a cozy mystery and reminded me of the type of books that are published by Henery Press.

[Sandra Holladay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took me quite awhile to read this as I kept losing interest. It needed some continuity checking as the rape is listed as May 4th but the next page states May third. Also, the title has nothing to do with the story itself. I found it irritating that Katy (who is not a friend of the victim, just remembers her from school many years ago) is so bent on her petition to make sure a rapist and murder (focusing on the murder part) doesn’t get paroled, then we have flashbacks to what actually happened. Yes, he was part of a gang rape, no he didn’t murder her (though he did participate in the coverup). The rapist who administered the date rape drug and eggs on the other two men conveniently drinks himself into oblivion where another roommate/rapist sickened by what they did actually kills him, then becomes obsessed with moving Lindsay’s body because he doesn’t want her found (where he immediately goes to la la land -which he was so close to already). Leaving the least guilty member of the party to face all the consequences. I do believe rapists should be punished (and almost feel like the death penalty isn’t too severe) but attributing his part in the gang rape to drinking and youthful hormones does a great disservice to most decent young men (which this guy was supposed to be) who wouldn’t participate in such an act.

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited although came across the #1 on a freebie day so picked up #2 on ku.

Keep trying to figure out what all the title really had to do with the story, and about 2/3 it didn't. The blurb reads as if it was a close friend when it wasn't, and the 'date rape' and subsequent murders were a bit odd as the main one had no real justice, the one being yes guy pretty much the same, but the other one who had the least took the brunt, and then of course there is the murder of the girl and the mother, so while it was a decent story there were several major flaws to my mind, and some minor ones which I overlooked, but the first part is indicated in the stars. The back and forth in the timeline was rather jarring as well.

Dead Girls Don't Blog (Murder Blog Mysteries #1)
Better Dead Than Wed (Murder Blog Mysteries #2)

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Way better than I anticipated

I found Katy charming and funny, I will certainly be following up with the rest of the series to keep up with her. Lindsey 's story was heart breaking and much of it far too familiar. The author did a skillful job balancing the storyline, it could have easily become far too sad or the lighter moments jarring by contrast, but it didn't come across that way to me.
I was left feeling a bit unsettled about what constitutes justice. That is because, as the reader, I was privy to information about the perpetrators that Katy was not, and I think that was very smart. Her goal was to speak for someone unable to speak out on her own behalf. The larger issue is left for the reader to ponder well beyond the last page.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear. If I could I would give this book more than five stars. I absolutely loved the character building. My favorite would certainly be Katy or Samantha. While there was some dark and disturbing aspects,as with any mystery, there was also some serious humor. Mrs. Dennis you have earned a big fan. Much of the comedy comes from the awkward interactions between Josh "The Viking" and Katy. But the one that really got me laughing was the scene with the EZ-Lips. I cannot recommend this book enough.

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book sounded to me like it was going to be a cozy read. It was definitely a combination of cozy & dark. While the main character is a bit quirky, she is very likable. While the guy in prison deserved punishment for his role in the crimes, I still sort of wanted to feel sorry for him since he was against kidnapping & murder. Guilty by association, and should have reported it when the 1st crime was committed. Interestingly, I read in the back, In the note from the author, this was loosely based on her own experience. Great writing, only a couple of inconsistencies, otherwise flowed well.

[Desiree Learned · Rating 4 out of 5]

Difficult read for a cozy

I liked the characters, and the story was compelling. However, I found myself having to take a break after every 1996 chapter. Lindsay’s story is heartbreaking I found myself needing some time to process the events.
The only part I found a little hard to believe is Katy not calling the police at the mall...her rationale didn’t make sense. Satisfying conclusion though.

[Bill Jakobsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book!!

If I could give a rating of 100 instead of 5 stars it would still be too low. What a very sad but beautiful story. I'm so looking forward to reading the next book of adventures that comes along. This is one book that says it all.... I laughed, I cried and it ended up better than I thought. Thank you to Ms Frost Dennis for such a great story. Reviewed by Cindy.