Dead Heat- Blog Tour

 

Author: Sabine Durrant 

Publisher: Century Books

Publishing Date: 12th March 2026 

Many thanks to the publishing team and Random Things Tours for my physical copy of the book and a spot on the tour

Blurb 

Former journalist Matt Grimshaw's life is at a low ebb. He's been 'let go' by the paper where he's worked for years, and his relationship with his long-term girlfriend has come unstuck.

So when an invitation arrives from his two closest friends, Celia and Adam Murphy, to join them at their house in Greece, he jumps at it.

It may be harsh and unwelcoming on the Mani Peninsula but Matt determines to stay there for the whole summer and to write his much put-off screen-play.

But then the Murphys plus children arrive, and a wealthy newcomer to the area starts throwing loud and lavish parties in his big house across the bay.

As the nights become hotter and the parties wilder, everyone's motivations darken. Envy rises, resentments grow - until a terrible accident stops the summer in its tracks.

At least, it looks like an accident…

My Thoughts 

This was an intense read. 

The story is told primarily from the perspective of Matt, whose life seems to fall apart all at once. After losing both his job and his relationship in a short space of time, he finds himself struggling to process everything that has happened. Feeling lost and needing an escape, Matt accepts an invitation to stay with his friends, Cella and Adam, at their place in Greece. What initially seems like the perfect opportunity to retreat, reflect, and reset soon becomes something far more complicated.

As the plot unfolds, the dynamics between Matt, Cella, and Adam begin to reveal themselves in subtle but important ways. Their friendship is clearly long-standing, but there are underlying tensions and unspoken histories that slowly start to surface. When additional guests begin arriving, the atmosphere within the group shifts even further. What begins as a relaxed getaway gradually turns into a situation filled with rivalry, suspicion, and emotional strain.

One of the aspects I enjoyed most about this book was the way the author slowly reveals information about the characters. At first, many of them seem fairly straightforward, but the more you learn about their pasts, motivations, and relationships with one another, the more complex they become. My opinions about certain characters changed multiple times throughout the story, which made the reading experience more engaging. It felt like every new piece of information forced me to reconsider what I thought I knew about them.

The plot also contains several twists along the way. I did manage to guess a couple of them before they were revealed, but that didn’t take away from the enjoyment. There were still enough unexpected developments to keep me invested in the story, and I appreciated how the twists were woven into the narrative rather than feeling forced or overly dramatic.

Another strength of the book is the atmosphere. Despite the beautiful setting in Greece, the story gradually develops a tense and almost claustrophobic feeling. As the relationships between the characters become more strained and secrets start to emerge, the sense of unease grows stronger. The author does a great job of creating that feeling of being trapped within a small group where everyone has their own hidden agendas and unresolved emotions.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The combination of character-driven storytelling, steady tension, and carefully placed twists made it an engaging read from beginning to end.  I  found myself eager to keep reading and see how everything would unfold. The gradual build-up of tension and the shifting perspectives on the characters made the story feel layered and immersive.

If you enjoy books that focus on complicated relationships, slowly unfolding secrets, and a tense group dynamic, this one is definitely worth picking up.