Book ~ "Exit" (2020) Belinda Bauer

From Goodreads ~ It was never supposed to be murder ... 

Pensioner Felix Pink is about to find out that it’s never too late ... for life to go horribly wrong.

When Felix lets himself in to Number 3 Black Lane, he’s there to perform an act of kindness and charity: to keep a dying man company as he takes his final breath. But just fifteen minutes later Felix is on the run from the police – after making the biggest mistake of his life.

Now his routine world is turned upside down as he tries to discover what went wrong, while staying one step ahead of the law.

Felix is a 75-year-old widower whose world is very small ... he has no friends or a life, just a dog named Mabel. He is volunteer Exiteer ... when people want to end their lives on their own terms, he keeps them company, which he has done many times. He's not allowed to help them in any way ... just give them peace and comfort that they aren't dying alone and take away any evidence. With his last assignment, Felix discovers the wrong person passed away as he and a new Exiteer sat with him. He wants to make it right and find out how this mistake could have happened.

I liked the writing style and the dark humour ... what an interesting and different angle for a story! It's a convoluted tale with lots of twists and turns but it was a fun ride. It's written in third person perspective with a focus on where the action is ... including with Felix, Calvin (one of the investigating police officers) and Reggie (the son of the deceased). It was interesting to see Felix go from just having Mabel as his companion to having to open up and include others. The author is English so there were terms I wasn't familiar with. There was also a gambling side story which went over my head as I don't gamble. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

Book ~ "The Beautiful Dead" (2016) Belinda Bauer

From Goodreads ~ There’s no safety in numbers ...

Eve Singer needs death. With her career as a TV crime reporter flagging, she’ll do anything to satisfy her ghoulish audience.

The killer needs death too. He even advertises his macabre public performances, where he hopes to show the whole world the beauty of dying.

When he contacts Eve, she welcomes the chance to be first with the news from every gory scene. Until she realizes that the killer has two obsessions.

One is public murder.

And the other one is her ...

Eve is a crime reporter who is fighting to keep her job and career ... her boss is always reminding her there are younger and prettier reporters wanting to take her place. So along with Joe, her cameraman, she does what she can to cover gruesome stories to attract and keep her audience. In addition, she has the added pressure of caring for her father who has lost touch with reality and who she is.

A murderer becomes fixated with her. He wants her to publicize his killings so gives her hints about them ahead of time. She's okay with that as it gives her the exposure she needs to keep her job. It eventually becomes apparent that he plans on making her one of his victims.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I liked it. I like the writing style. It is written in third person perspective depending on where the action was. I wasn't really buying the "why" of the murderer, though, and would have like a better motive for his killings. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

I thought it was odd that considering her father's dementia Eve has a pet hamster. Her father is always hiding and/or taking apart things so I'm surprised she would have a pet around him. I've had hamsters and would never had done some of the things she did with hers ... like get drunk and then let it roam free around the living room (and even open the front door) or when in danger, grab the hamster to save it and put in her pocket (!!??) rather than the cage with the hamster in it.