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Dead Girl Walking

(Jessie Novak #1)

Roberta Gately (Goodreads Author)

really liked it 4.00 · Rating details · 71 ratings · 43 reviews

“911. What’s your emergency?”
“He came for her. She’s been shot,” says a desperate voice, as footsteps echo down an alley. “She’s dying.”
“Oh no, oh no, he’s coming back. Please, come quickly––” And then a click, and the drone of a dial tone.

The beautiful young woman on the stretcher could be on her honeymoon. Chestnut hair tumbles around a pretty face, rose petals tangled i ...more

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Kindle Edition, 307 pages

Published November 24th 2020 by Bookouture

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Dec 10, 2020 Jen rated it it was ok

This was a unique twist on a police procedural, as the main character was a nurse and not in law enforcement. It was a bit unrealistic, though, as she had access to info that the average civilian wouldn’t. The story, first of a new series, centers on ER nurse, Jessie, who questions the story of a young couple who comes into the ER, seemingly shot by a stranger. The police think the story is viable but Jessie is convinced that the husband had something to do with it.

While the book moved at a fast ...more

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Nov 21, 2020 Lou rated it really liked it

Dead Girl Walking is the first instalment in the Emergency Room Triage Nurse Jessie Novak series, set in Boston, Massachusetts. Married couple thirty-two-year-old Rob and twenty-eight-year-old Ann Hart had, according to Rob, been out celebrating that night when a man had approached them, pointed his gun and robbed them before shooting mayor's aide and Harvard alumni Rob in the flank and Ann in the head in an alley next to the theatre on Warrenton Street, but when the dispatcher asks him to check Dead Girl Walking is the first instalment in the Emergency Room Triage Nurse Jessie Novak series, set in Boston, Massachusetts. Married couple thirty-two-year-old Rob and twenty-eight-year-old Ann Hart had, according to Rob, been out celebrating that night when a man had approached them, pointed his gun and robbed them before shooting mayor's aide and Harvard alumni Rob in the flank and Ann in the head in an alley next to the theatre on Warrenton Street, but when the dispatcher asks him to check whether she's breathing there's no answer and the line goes dead. Meanwhile, it's the end of another long and arduous shift for Jessie Novak when just as she was getting ready to clock off and wind down over at Foley's bar, the paramedics, who attended the shooting, radio to inform Boston City Hospital that they are en-route. Jessie quickly assembles the trauma team and on-duty surgeon Neil Doherty. The next time she opens the door to leave one of the trauma rooms where Ann is being treated, she is met with a sea of police, reporters and random people blocking the corridor. Detective Sam Dallas is one of those and is in charge of the investigation.

Jessie goes to check on Rob Hart and finds there is something strange about the way he is acting. But, as Jessie knows all too well, people have different reactions to trauma, so whether this is suspicious or not remains to be seen. This is a pacy, compelling and original read and while it took a little longer than I would've liked to get into it I was soon absorbed in the storyline. Being an ER Nurse our protagonist is a little different to the norm and is in quite an unusual role. I would say that this is most aptly described as a cross between a police procedural and a crime thriller with an amateur sleuth at its centre, whose job actually positions her well to see if any of those admitted with injuries could be of a suspicious nature. Her spider senses were certainly tingling when she met the Harts. She astute, authoritative when necessary and seems to have an insatiable appetite for police employees. This is a sinister thriller where no one can be trusted and the dangerous situation is about to cross from Jessie’s working life into her personal world. Perhaps it would be prudent to stop digging but that just isn't her style...
...more

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Nov 28, 2020 Kelsie Maxwell rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley-read

Dead Girl Walking by Roberta Gately is the first book in her Jessie Novak series. As an ER nurse, Jessie Novak is both observer and participant. She’s a smart new female protagonist, even though she’s not the usual cop/former cop or private investigator. I warmed to her personality as the story and her background details evolved. The story is well-written and the plot is engaging. Some of the elements are predictable, but I still enjoyed this mystery and will read any future installments to foll ...more

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Nov 24, 2020 Shalini rated it liked it

The story started with the bang and a 911 call about a husband and wife being shot. They were both brought to the ER to be treated under the capable hands of Nurse Jessie.

I was so happy this was not a typical police procedural but a cool, level-headed investigation done by Jessie. My first book by author Roberta Gately, I loved Jessie’s intelligence and keen sense of observation. Her instincts were in the right place. I too was frustrated when cop Sam refused to see the obvious. I was quite spee ...more

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Nov 20, 2020 LianaReads blog rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley

The premise of this book sounds quite interesting and appealing especially since i am a nurse and know pretty much what our heroine has to deal with in her daily job activity. It was nice to read her pov in the story and even better that it's the first book in the series so i could get into her head more and know what are the reasons her actions speak up for.
The story starts quite confusing for me and had a very hard time to get into it actually because i was confused of who is who and what the ...more

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Nov 29, 2020 Marnie | Once Upon a Time Book Blog rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Crime thriller fans

Recommended to Marnie | Once Upon a Time Book Blog by: Bookouture

Shelves: 2020

Dead Girl Walking is the first book in a new series featuring Jessie Novak, a Emergency Room Triage Nurse as its lead. Set in Boston Massachusetts, the story follows Jessie’s quest for answers after a beautiful woman is bought into the emergency room, with a gunshot. Who would do this? Why?

The story has been well plotted, executed and with Roberta Gately bringing her own knowledge as a nurse to the table, this makes for an interesting medical drama crossed with a crime thriller. The mystery itse ...more

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Nov 27, 2020 Emma Star Crossed Reviews rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-reads, netgalley-2020, bookouture

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via netgalley. This book is the first of a new series following Jessie Novak. Jessie is an ER nurse who becomes involved in helping to solve the shooting of Ann Hart.

This book was very interesting as it was a crim ...more

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Nov 29, 2020 Emma Shaw rated it really liked it

"Something was wrong here, very wrong."

It's no secret that I'm a sucker for a great crime series. With Dead Girl Walking I've added yet another to my ever-growing list.

ER nurse Jessie Novak finds herself embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse after becoming determined to bring a killer to justice. She is sure she knows who brutally attacked Ann Hart, but the police don't agree. So she sets out to find the evidence herself, putting her own life in danger. Can she find the proof and exp ...more

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Nov 25, 2020 Bridget rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-arc, mystery, series, peach-vanilla, thrillers, crime

This book is the first instalment in the Jessie Novak series written by Roberta Gately, set in Boston, Massachusetts.

Married couple Rob and Ann Hart are out and about when a man approaches them and shoots, hitting Rob in his side and Ann in the head, but when the emergency dispatcher asks Rob to check whether or not Ann's breathing, there's no answer and the line goes dead with a click. Meanwhile, Emergency Room Triage Nurse Jessie Novak is just about to clock off when the paramedics radio to i ...more

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Nov 23, 2020 Julie Lacey rated it really liked it

This is the first book in a new series by Roberta Gately and it’s a great start.
Jesse is an ER nurse and has seen most things but when a husband and wife get rushed in after being shot, it’s all hands to the deck.
The man’s political role makes the shooting front page news so the pressure is on to find the person responsible.
Jesse has her thoughts on the crime and helps the police with their investigation which is a great help to them.
It seemed odd at first for a crime thriller to have the mai ...more

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Nov 14, 2020 Ana Lopez rated it it was ok

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy

Dead Girl Walking is the first book in a series, a fact that is nicely established through the path the main character goes through in the book.
However, I don't find myself very interested in continuing reading this series. Despite keeping me interested in finding out who had done what, I didn't find this book to be a great thriller.
Not only were the mysteries pretty easy to guess (not every plot twist has to be the most surprising, but I feel like any read ...more

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Nov 20, 2020 Brenda Feinen rated it did not like it

Shelves: netgalley

Jessie works as an ER nurse. One of the mayor's staff is shot in the leg, his wife in the head.
From the beginning, Jessie is convinced Rob Hart had something to do with the shooting.
Predictable. Skimmed to finish. ...more

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Nov 24, 2020 Emma rated it it was ok

Dead Girl Walking follows ER nurse Jessie Novak who treats patient Ann Hart after she has been shot by an unknown assailant alongside her husband. Jessie helps with the police investigation into Ann's shooting and starts receiving bouquets of the same flowers that were found in Ann's hair when she was brought into the ER.

When I read the summary of this book I was immediately dubious (although curious) about the premise of the ER nurse getting involved in a police investigation. On one hand it is Dead Girl Walking follows ER nurse Jessie Novak who treats patient Ann Hart after she has been shot by an unknown assailant alongside her husband. Jessie helps with the police investigation into Ann's shooting and starts receiving bouquets of the same flowers that were found in Ann's hair when she was brought into the ER.

When I read the summary of this book I was immediately dubious (although curious) about the premise of the ER nurse getting involved in a police investigation. On one hand it is different from the norm of following the police or forensics through a case but there is also the issue of would it even make sense coming from the point of view of the nurse. My conclusion - no it does not. It just felt forced. The entire way through this book I kept thinking why on earth would this nurse be getting this involved? A link is created to forensics that I believe will continue in the series to try and bridge this gap but I felt like it was an unusual set up just created to make the nurse role fit better.

Jessie is a pretty irritating character overall and I can't say I warmed to her over time. She was apparently so clever and valuable as an employee that she was wanted by the ER department, ICU and forensics and yet she missed things that were completely obvious to anyone with a single brain cell (though nobody in this book seemed particularly sharp!). She spent half her time trying to decide who she fancied and why instead of anything of use. She was completely dismissive of the police and their ability to solve the crime and couldn't understand why they didn't follow her random theories. The police discussed the case with her in far too much detail to be realistic - she is a nurse, not a detective and they would not share details about the case with her.
None of the other characters were particularly strong or memorable in any way either. I should mention there was a love triangle but this was nothing more than cringeworthy.

I can forgive bland characters if the plot is on point. It was not. I figured out almost everything with little difficulty. The direction this was going to take was obvious and instead of suspense waiting for the characters to figure things out it was just frustrating watching them fail to see what was right in front of them.

Overall this was a very simplistic novel that tried using a new viewpoint to spice things up and I wasn't a fan of the end result.

I was provided with an ARC copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review ...more

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Dec 02, 2020 Kris Zeller rated it really liked it

Great characters! This new heroine is fantastic!

I loved seeing an ER nurse as the main character, and I thought she was well constructed and authentic. I generally don't like a "torn between two guys" storyline, but this one was written pretty well, was mostly believable and wasn't overly dramatic. Both of the male characters, as well as most of the secondary characters, were fleshed out enough to be interesting but not so much that the details felt unnecessary, which can be a hard line to walk, Great characters! This new heroine is fantastic!

I loved seeing an ER nurse as the main character, and I thought she was well constructed and authentic. I generally don't like a "torn between two guys" storyline, but this one was written pretty well, was mostly believable and wasn't overly dramatic. Both of the male characters, as well as most of the secondary characters, were fleshed out enough to be interesting but not so much that the details felt unnecessary, which can be a hard line to walk, especially if you're setting up for future books in the series. Well done there.

The plot was interesting. The storyline took you for an interesting ride, thought the end was ultimately very predictable. The thing I struggled with was that an ER nurse bound by HIPPA laws and a Detective bound by the restrictions of an ongoing investigation is a pretty unbelievable team. Gately seemed to address this by throwing "I couldn't tell you, that would be a HIPPA violation" and then heavily implying something, or "Keep that under your hat, this is an ongoing investigation" in there when the characters were sharing information.. I *might* have believed that his unlikely professional pair might have shared information at night if an ER nurse had been married to a Detective for years... but it all just seemed very unlikely with a pair that's just casually dating (or not? still unsure)..

I did like that the corner invited Jessie to work in the morgue/with the PD, but the call from Jessie's boss was, again, just a little unbelievable "Hi Jessie, yes you can split your time between here and there and keep all your benefits and schedule and overtime and it'll all be great! Good luck!". Jessie working part time for the PD is a good idea in theory but it still doesn't solve the privacy issue.

All that being said, I truly liked Jessie & Sam and the writing was compelling so I do hope she finds some way to help Jessie evolve into a forensic nurse or a CSU employee or something so that her nursing experience is helpful with examining wounds and corroborating evidence rather than having her input be a privacy violation concerning a specific case. ...more

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Nov 14, 2020 Wendy C rated it it was amazing

A new author I have been wowed by! As a debut with Bookouture, this was one hell of a phenomenal novel!

The first thing I loved about it was the point of view from a hospital worker. I’m used to a crime thriller being from the lead detectors point of view so this was the first series that I’ve read from this point of view and I was pleasantly surprised.

It’s different, fresh and certainly not something I’ve read before. I can see other authors would follow suit. There’s been books with hospital ...more

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Nov 22, 2020 Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews rated it really liked it

First, I want to thank Roberta Gately, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

Instantly I got sucked into the fast paced, intense, graphic and frantic beginning of Roberta Gately’s latest read Dead Girl Walking. It was the best of both worlds with criminal investigation and medical drama. The book reminded me of one of the ER crossover shows with the Investigative team.

This book is in loving memory of Roberta’s cherished brother Jim Gately, an a ...more

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Nov 26, 2020 Denise rated it it was ok

An Emergency Room nurse, Jessie Novak, plays detective in this crime thriller.

When a young couple is attacked, shot, and left for dead in an alley, they are brought to Boston City Hospital by ambulance. Jessie is on duty and finds the wife, Ann Hart, barely alive and the husband with a less serious wound. For some reason, she can't get the crime out of her mind and is quite suspicious about the event. Meanwhile, she's harassed by a reporter and is involved with two local cops who share many inv ...more

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Nov 19, 2020 April rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery-thriller

Many thanks to Bookouture & Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

A thriller with an ER nurse as the main character, Dead Girl Walking was a fun, fresh take on a murder mystery. Although there were times I got annoyed with Jessie — mainly due to the repetition of some character flaws/quirks (I cannot count the number of times that it was emphasized that Jessie always falls for the “wrong type of guy”) — the plot was fairly quick and the story engaging. I especially loved the ...more

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Nov 13, 2020 Chloe rated it it was amazing

I have always been such a huge fan of Bookouture authors the stories they publish always seem to deliver exactly what you are promised, and this one is no different.

What I loved most about this book was following Jessie through her daily grind as a nurse. I found that this gave the book a very unique edge for me. Reading about the patients being admitted and the daily tasks if a medical professional created a medical drama show to play through me head as I was reading.

I felt like I was on a fa ...more

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Nov 21, 2020 Vanessa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-x

WoW......... And what a "Breath of Fresh air" this New author was for me!
Everyone loves a new author and when Roberta Gately's new book called Dead Girl Walking. I had to find some me time and open my kindle and start to read it. Oh, Boy, I was not disappointed!!! It was Brilliant! and I was hooked from the very first page!

“911. What’s your emergency?”
“He came for her. She’s been shot,” says a desperate voice, as footsteps echo down an alley. “She’s dying.”
“Oh no, oh no, he’s coming back. Plea ...more

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Nov 01, 2020 Elisabeth Soane rated it liked it

This is the first book with Jessie Novak as the main character. It was a good start but will be interested to know what will happen in book two. Usually the main character in a crime novel is a police officer or victim, with this Jessie is an emergency nurse.
Jessie is on duty when Ann Hart and her husband are brought in after being shot. How is Ann critically injured when her husband sent? Jessie seems to think it’s because her husband was involved with the shooting. Detective Sam Dallas is on t ...more

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Nov 24, 2020 Barbara rated it it was amazing

I was totally hooked on this book from the very first scene, when two seriously injured robbery victims show up during Jessie Novak's shift in the ER. Jessie, a tough and smart ER nurse with a ton of experience, knows there's more to this so-called robbery than meets the eye -- but what does it all add up to, and can she get anyone to listen? The story is so good, it's impossible not to test out your own theories about the crime as you move through the pages. But what makes this book so differe ...more

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Nov 21, 2020 Nicky Skene rated it it was amazing

Dead girl walking the first book in the series by Roberta Gately- another new author for me.
Loved it! I’m a huge fan of crime thriller books and happy to add this to one of my favourite reads of the year.
Jesse an ER nurse has a very busy night when two people - husband and wife - get rushed in after being shot. The husband an up and coming political hotshot makes the shooting front page news. Jesse has her thoughts on the crime and whilst working her already stressful and high paced job helps ...more

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Dec 13, 2020 Catherine rated it it was amazing

Dead Girl Walking is an edge-of-your seat mystery. Jessie Novak loves her job as an ER nurse at Boston City Hospital. Usually able to distance herself from the trauma and tragedy, one case affects her unexpectedly. A young couple arrives, victims of a robbery gone wrong. But the story the husband tells doesn't ring true to Jessie. She is warned by Detective Sam Dallas to be careful, but Jessie doesn't trust him after a sleazy reporter tells her the police are involved in a cover-up. Jessie doesn ...more

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Jan 03, 2021 Kimberly rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley, books-n-kisses-com

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

This book just didn’t do it for me. I never ended up like Jessie and while I appreciated her tenacity to get to the answers the way she goes about it is, well, unlikable. I hated the way she was with Sam. Apparently Sam needs to give her every minute detail about what he finds out but she claims Hippa every time anything is asked of her.

She gets involved with another cop even though she is attracted to Sam and I, honestly, have no idea why. This other off ...more

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Nov 10, 2020 Kristen Daniels rated it really liked it

I was a little unsure about how I would feel about a thriller coming from the view point of someone other than the lead detective as I’m used to. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the way this all played out.

One night in Jessie Novak’s life ends up turning her life completely upside down. From the first time she laid eyes on her patient, she knew something was wrong but I don’t think anyone could guess just how wrong things really were. Unfortunately for Jessie, the problems don’t remain ...more

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Nov 29, 2020 Mary rated it it was amazing

Just finished reading Dead Girl Walking. I was hooked from the first page. I loved the feisty ER Nurse Jessie Novak who gets more involved in the 2 people that were brought to the ER with gun shot wounds than most would. She seems to have a keen eye and great instinct for asking the right questions during the investigation. I also enjoyed the love triangle Jessie was involved in and could see how difficult it was for her to sort it all out. I definitely recommend this book as a must read and hop ...more

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Oct 31, 2020 Tracy rated it it was amazing

i very much enjoyed this Jessie is a ER nurse . at the end of her shift a couple are brought in gunshots Ann hart and Rob hart .the detective in charge is Sam Dallas Jessie has a news reporter gets Jessie in trouble at work she starts dating Nick a policeman . Jessie thinks something not right about the shooting and thinks the husband involved someone is watching Jessie are they all connected . can she trust the police its so good looking forward to next book

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Dec 04, 2020 Sharon Logue rated it really liked it

Jessie Novak is an ER nurse and the story is told though her. I like the idea of a thriller being told, not through a policeman’s prospective but through a nurse that maybe could teach the detectives a thing or two!! I read that there will be a Jessie Novak No.2 book - so hope I can read this..... I need to know what she is up to next!!

Thanks to #bookouture & #netgalley for letting me read this in advance.

#deadgirlwalking #Robertagately

Publish date - 24th November 2020

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Oct 27, 2020 Carol Drinkwater rated it it was amazing

I love medical dramas and I love thrillers so this book definitely hit the spot for me, well written and all the characters were good with their own stories.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and I can't wait to read more about Jessie Novak in the future.

I can thoroughly recommend this book, just brilliant. ...more

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About Roberta Gately

Roberta Gately

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A nurse, humanitarian aid worker, and writer, Roberta Gately has served in third-world war zones ranging from Africa to Afghanistan. She has written extensively on the subject of refugees for the Journal of Emergency Nursing, as well as a series of articles for the BBC World News Online. She speaks regularly on the plight of the world’s refugees and displaced.