Deadly Animals – Marie Tierney

Thirteen-year-old Ava Bonney possesses an unusual intellect far beyond her years. While her friends play, Ava’s fascination lies in the intricate process of animal decomposition, studying roadkill found in the streets around her home.

But, one night, Ava’s secret nocturnal routine takes a chilling turn when she stumbles upon the lifeless body of fellow schoolmate, Mickey Grant.

As Detective Seth Delahaye takes charge of the perplexing case, Ava refuses to sit idle. Determined and resourceful, she embarks on a daring quest to unveil the truth behind the string of chilling deaths plaguing her community.

Armed with her unique skills and unrivalled local knowledge, Ava becomes an unlikely force in the race to apprehend the elusive killer before more lives are claimed.

Book Info: 369 pages. Publisher: Zaffre. Publication date: 15 Feb 2024

My Thoughts:

Deadly Animals is the debut novel by Marie Tierney. It was published by Zaffre in Feb 2024. If you read the comments on the cover from Lynda La Plante, Peter James, and Chris Whitaker, you know that this book is considered remarkable. It also won the Val McDermid Crime Debut Award 2024. This recognition highlights its status in the crime fiction community.

Firstly, I should point out that this is not an easy read. It contains several triggers that readers may find difficult. These include animal cruelty and child murders.

The book is set in the early 80’s. It is told through Ava, a 13-year-old girl. She lives in a small town near Birmingham. Ava is not your average teenage girl. She lives with her family consisting of a dysfunctional mother and 2 sisters and her mother’s on/off dodgy boyfriend. As well as being highly intelligent and observant Ava has a fascination with dead animals. Her interests are to study them whilst they decay and record the results.

She sneaks out of her home at night to visit her latest roadkill. During her visit, she discovers the mutilated body of Mickey Grant. He was a boy from her school, lying hidden amongst the debris. Disguising her voice she calls the police to report the crime and leaves the crime scene.

Detective Seth Delahaye is in charge of this case. Ava’s in-depth knowledge of crime and forensics compels her to get involved. She can’t sit back watching the police struggle to solve this murder.

I found the book a slow burner at first. However, it was so atmospheric and chilling. This slow burn actually added to the tension of the story.

Deadly Animals is very disturbing. The child deaths are heart breaking. The violence and abuse are uncomfortable, but it’s original and clever too.

Overall, it is an uncomfortable and disturbing debut novel. It is powerful. I think Ava deserves another book. I’d love to read more about her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.