A hot air balloon crashes with 13 people on board. Only eleven bodies are recovered. What happened to the other two? And why would someone walk away from the crash without calling for help?
You will need to read it to find out! This is one mystery you should delve into blindly. I repeat - to make the most out of Bolton’s brilliant storytelling, DO NOT read any reviews until you have finished the book. You can thank me later!
I was almost hesitant to pick up Dead Woman Walking, seeing how absolutely GREAT all books by this author have been so far, and I was worried that she could not possibly surpass my previous favourites. But I should have known better – Sharon Bolton is an author on top of her game, and her latest book is no exception. Whilst I will not say any more about the story, for fear of giving away any spoilers, I can safely state that it contains one of the best and most nail-biting cat-and-mouse games I have read in a long, long time. I was actually holding my breath for so long that I felt slightly light-headed with anxiety-induced hypoxia, and that’s not a good thing when you are listening to the audiobook on your daily drive to work!
Apart from characters who are enigmatic, interesting and well-rounded (except the “baddies”, who are suitably terrifying), Bolton delivers her usual hallmark of atmospheric tension, suspense and twists aplenty. This is an author who knows how to mount the tension to near unbearable levels, like nails noisily scraping across a blackboard, before revealing another morsel of information that may help to unravel the Celtic knot that forms this multi-layered plot. With a theme that is contemporary and well-researched, it had me spellbound, asking myself: could this really be happening right under our noses? And although there were times when I thought I had to suspend disbelief a tiny bit to go along with it, Bolton always offered a very plausible explanation for everything that happened (which, for an old cynic like me, is a necessary part of reading pleasure). Bolton also knows how to lay a few bear traps for the unsuspecting reader, and I promptly fell into all of them, every time I thought I was on the right track in working it all out. I am duly humbled ....
All in all, Dead Woman Walking is the kind of intelligent, multi-layered mystery the author seems to deliver so effortlessly, time and time again. It once again proved why Bolton is very firmly embedded on top of my favourite authors list, and will not be easily toppled. If you want to read one spellbinding mystery this year, make sure to pick up Dead Woman Walking – it will not disappoint!

Dead Woman Walking
Audible Audiobook
– Unabridged
See all formats and editions
Hide other formats and editions
Amazon Price
|
New from | Used from |
Audible Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry"
|
$0.00
|
Free with your Audible trial |
Audio CD, Audiobook, CD, Unabridged
"Please retry"
|
$73.89 | — |
©2017 Sharon Bolton (P)2017 Random House Audiobooks
AUDIBLE - 2 MONTH FREE TRIAL
Each month you'll get your choice of audiobook, a bonus book selected by our editors, unlimited access to exclusive podcasts and more. T&C apply.
Click here to claim >
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible’s
Conditions Of Use
and
Privacy Notice.
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company
People who bought this also bought
Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1
- Audible Audiobook
- Audible Audiobook
- Audible Audiobook
- Audible Audiobook
- Audible Audiobook
Product details
Listening Length | 12 hours and 15 minutes |
---|---|
Author | Sharon Bolton |
Narrator | Julia Barrie |
Audible.com.au Release Date | 11 May 2017 |
Publisher | Random House Audiobooks |
Program Type | Audiobook |
Version | Unabridged |
Language | English |
ASIN | B06XWG9KCM |
Best Sellers Rank |
33,062 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
190 in Mystery Action Fiction 509 in Action Thriller & Suspense Fiction 1,730 in Mystery Action & Adventure |
Customer reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
364 global ratings
How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Top reviews
Top reviews from Australia
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Verified Purchase
Helpful
Reviewed in Australia on 24 March 2020
Verified Purchase
The 1st of Sharon Bolton's stand alone novels I have read. It was a real roller coaster with so may twists and turns. Love it
Reviewed in Australia on 30 May 2017
Verified Purchase
An amazing read from the first page.
A gripping page turner which kilos of mystery. No predictability here.
Not until the very end, does this whole plot come together. Highly recommended.
A gripping page turner which kilos of mystery. No predictability here.
Not until the very end, does this whole plot come together. Highly recommended.
Top reviews from other countries

Elizabeth Harris
3.0 out of 5 stars
Didn't live up to the promise of the opening...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 August 2017Verified Purchase
Aspects of 'Dead Woman Walking' worked really well: the opening scene with the doomed balloon over the national park was gripping, and I'm a sucker for a woman-on-the-run story line (there's a good example in the fifth Frieda Kline book, 'Friday on my Mind', by Nicki French). Elsewhere, however, this book doesn't quite do it. My two main criticisms are, first, the scenes with the nuns and the convent. The setting and the characters could have worked so well as an extreme contrast to what was going on in the outside world, but for one thing the nuns didn't ring true, and for another, the sense of grandeur, mystery and separateness that surely needed to elevate and distinguish life in the abbey just wasn't there (and far too much information about rotting feet, yeast infections and smells... really?!) The whole nun aspect thus became a bit silly and unlikely, more reminiscent of Robbie Coltrane and Eric Idle in 'Nuns on the Run' than the luminous Audrey Hepburn et al in 'The Nun's Story'. My second problem is with the series of about-faces, or maybe they should be called plot twists; one might work, but in this book they began to come thick and fast, and suspension of disbelief was stretched to breaking point and way beyond. The final one - concerning the long-enduring mistaken identity of the abuser - just appeared ridiculous, I'm afraid. I still award three stars, despite the criticisms, because the plot did hold me most of the way.
6 people found this helpful
Report abuse

Pipsqueak
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent read with an unexpected ending.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 July 2019Verified Purchase
This book started brilliantly, so much so, that after reading about the fated balloon flight as a sample I bought the book. The pace never falters and you end up racing along with Jess as she flees from the dangerous man who brought the balloon down. It took me a while to get my head around the revelation of who was Bella and who was Jess. It kept me gripped right to the end and then you are hit with some totally unexpected smackers that make you want to start reading it all over again to spot the clues. Having said all that, I'm not sure a police officer whould be allowed to investigate a family of criminals when he was related to them, even by marriage. But nontheless, it was brilliantly written. The chapters following the tragic journey of the run away balloon and what happened to it's occupants was truly brilliant, even though shocking.
One person found this helpful
Report abuse

Mrs. M. Macdonald
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great one from Sharon Bolton
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 July 2017Verified Purchase
Sharon Bolton is one of my favourite authors so I was delighted to see she had another book out. Although she has written a series of great police procedurals this is a stand alone story.
Early one morning in the Scottish Borders twelve people with a pilot go on a balloon trip. Among them Jessica and her sister Bella. Bella is a practising nun in a fairly closed order. This trip was a for her fortieth birthday. Thirteen was an unlucky number, as whilst drifting over the countryside they saw a crime being committed. The perpetrator then shot at the balloon, killing the pilot. This results in a catastrophic crash. There is only one survivor. Fearing for her life she goes on the run.
This was a great story. The reader is led down different pathways to unexpected places. Sharon Bolton keeps up the suspense and, as always really makes you care about her characters. Told through flashbacks to previous events and the present she weaves a rich and rewarding tale. I couldn't put it down!
Early one morning in the Scottish Borders twelve people with a pilot go on a balloon trip. Among them Jessica and her sister Bella. Bella is a practising nun in a fairly closed order. This trip was a for her fortieth birthday. Thirteen was an unlucky number, as whilst drifting over the countryside they saw a crime being committed. The perpetrator then shot at the balloon, killing the pilot. This results in a catastrophic crash. There is only one survivor. Fearing for her life she goes on the run.
This was a great story. The reader is led down different pathways to unexpected places. Sharon Bolton keeps up the suspense and, as always really makes you care about her characters. Told through flashbacks to previous events and the present she weaves a rich and rewarding tale. I couldn't put it down!
3 people found this helpful
Report abuse

Ruth Kidson
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Twist Too Far
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 December 2019Verified Purchase
I think Sharon Bolton's an excellent writer and for about two thirds of this book I was thinking that this was one of her best. The first twist was brilliant, achieved by some very clever writing. But then, sadly, things went downhill. The second twist was contrived and left me feeling as though I'd been duped. The third twist - or reveal - was simply absurd. In addition, the descriptions of the convent were more like something out of 'Sister Act' than a true description of an enclosed order. I notice that, at the end of the book, Sharon Bolton acknowledges help from police and medical advisers. Perhaps, if she had asked for assistance from a member of a religious community she would have been able to understand that a convent that smells of rat droppings and unwashed bodies just doesn't ring true. For nuns, cleanliness is next to Godliness and cleaning and polishing is understood to be part of their work for God.
One person found this helpful
Report abuse

Julia
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping and thought-provoking
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 December 2017Verified Purchase
Thrilling, gripping, unsettling, disturbing and brilliant – welcome to the books of Sharon Bolton!
Dead Woman Walking is another incredible, complex and multi-layered story – THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON! It is really difficult, in fact, to say much about the plot at all, as to give away almost anything more than the blurb has, would be to miss out on peeling back the carefully constructed and detailed layers in the way they were intended.
Sharon is able to draw vivid pictures with just a few well-chosen words and the first few chapters particularly – those covering the balloon ride – are as clear as a movie playing in front of you; the remainder of the book is just as eloquently described. She is also a genius at misdirection, red herrings and shocking twists throughout, so be prepared to gasp out loud and go back to look for any missed clues at least five times!
There are a few light-hearted moments which are good for balancing out the increasingly dark plot and I really enjoyed a lot of the scenes set at the Priory.
The revelations keep coming, right up to the end and I will be thinking about this book for some time to come. Dead Woman Walking is not only a great thriller but also a fascinating look at the extreme lengths people will go to in desperation, whatever their situation.
Dead Woman Walking is another incredible, complex and multi-layered story – THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON! It is really difficult, in fact, to say much about the plot at all, as to give away almost anything more than the blurb has, would be to miss out on peeling back the carefully constructed and detailed layers in the way they were intended.
Sharon is able to draw vivid pictures with just a few well-chosen words and the first few chapters particularly – those covering the balloon ride – are as clear as a movie playing in front of you; the remainder of the book is just as eloquently described. She is also a genius at misdirection, red herrings and shocking twists throughout, so be prepared to gasp out loud and go back to look for any missed clues at least five times!
There are a few light-hearted moments which are good for balancing out the increasingly dark plot and I really enjoyed a lot of the scenes set at the Priory.
The revelations keep coming, right up to the end and I will be thinking about this book for some time to come. Dead Woman Walking is not only a great thriller but also a fascinating look at the extreme lengths people will go to in desperation, whatever their situation.
2 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Get FREE delivery with Amazon Prime
Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to movies, TV shows, music, Kindle e-books, Twitch Prime, and more.