Sophie Kent works for the London Herald; she's covered her
share of crime scenes. Not the nicest job. We see her life
in the first book of the Sophie
Kent series BREAKING
DEAD. She's returning to work after dealing with a family
tragedy, and her chief editor thinks she's lost her touch.
Her likely source to name a habitual rapist in the London
fashion industry is too scared of losing her job to talk.
Author Corrie Jackson is a journalist who has worked in
London and California. In today's world of e-news which she
describes, it seems archaic that Sophie was handed the
metal plate of her first front page, from the printing
plant. Yes, news still comes out that way. But we see the
papers are competing hard on shrinking margins, and are
increasingly computerised. Jobs are at risk and stress
levels run high. Sophie is having a fling with a married
editor, which is not making her happy, making me think it's
easier for her than putting the effort in to find a better
partner. In the past Sophie has been helpful to the police
so when she gets a tip-off about a dead body in a hotel,
she arrives fast and talks to the officers at the scene.
Sophie realises that she knew the dead woman, and this is
again related to Fashion Week.
We meet a fashion agent who seems abnormally talkative
about a dead model to someone she's never met. Sophie has
sneaked in and doesn't even show her press card; she could
be anyone. By this means we learn that agencies look at a
model's social media profile before hiring them, and models
are contractually obliged to tweet. Sounds unreasonable
when someone is hired for her looks and poise, but it's all
about spreading publicity. We also see that living in the
glare of gossip can wreck lives and relationships. So can
revealing their age - they may be underage, or approaching
twenty-five. Some models can owe the agency thousands for
visas, air fare and photo shoots before getting a job.
Actually, all kinds of people talk busily to this random
press reporter, regardless of whether it will land them in
trouble - and it probably will.
I like the way that more serious stories float past as
Sophie works the newsroom; a downed plane, a major
investigation. As this is not a police procedural story,
Sophie uses underhand methods of getting information,
proving herself resourceful. And what a packed handbag she
carries. She's also still grieving her brother and
wondering if she might have done more to save him from
addiction. This makes Sophie a deeper person, though she
doesn't do herself many favours in this tale. I am certain
she would have known what the deep web was; she's a crime
journalist. BREAKING DEAD by Corrie Jackson is well
written as an adult crime story with a hard look at the
glitz, gossip and grit of fashion.
BREAKING DEAD is the first book in a compelling crime
series starring investigative journalist, Sophie Kent.
Sophie’s tenacity and talent have seen her rise through
the ranks of a tough newspaper industry, but her
brother’s suicide has thrown her career and personal life
into chaos. Whilst interviewing witnesses of a brutal
child murder, Sophie befriends a traumatised Russian
model. When the girl’s mutilated body turns up in an
upmarket hotel on the eve of London Fashion Week, Sophie
knows she could have saved her. Eaten away by guilt, she
throws herself headfirst into the edgy, fast-paced world
of fashion with one goal in mind: to catch the killer.
Only then can she piece her grief-stricken self back
together.
As Sophie chips away at the industry’s glittery surface,
she uncovers a toxic underworld rife with drugs, secrets,
prostitution and blackmail. The investigation propels
Sophie from the glamour of the catwalk to London’s
darkest corners, towards a sinister past and a twenty-
year-old murder case that could hold the key. Battling
her demons and her wealthy, dysfunctional family along
the way, Sophie pushes her personal problems to one side
as she goes head to head with a crazed killer. A killer
who is only just getting started.
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