Can a serial killer ever lose their taste for murder?
Since confessing to her bloody murder spree Rhiannon Lewis, the now-notorious Sweetpea killer, has been feeling out-of-sorts.
Having fled the UK on a cruise ship to start her new life, Rhiannon should be feeling happy. But it’s hard to turn over a new leaf when she’s stuck in an oversized floating tin can with the Gammonati and screaming kids. Especially when they remind her of Ivy – the baby she gave up for a life carrying on killing.
Rhiannon is all at sea. She’s lost her taste for blood but is it really gone for good? Maybe Rhiannon is realising that there’s more to life than death…
Official Summary
19 February 2025
I struggled with the first book in the series, but since reading In Bloom, Rhiannon has won me over. I have raced through the next four books in the series back to back. I could not read them fast enough.
Dead Head is a wild, darkly comedic continuation of the Sweetpea series, offering readers another dose of Rhiannon Lewis—Britain’s most sarcastic, foul-mouthed, and oddly endearing serial killer. This time, she’s on the run, adrift on a cruise ship, and battling an existential crisis: can a killer ever truly leave murder behind?
From the start, Dead Head throws readers into Rhiannon’s chaotic, self-aware inner monologue. The witty, razor-sharp humour remains intact, but this instalment sees her struggling with something new—doubt. Having confessed to her murder spree and left behind her baby, Ivy, Rhiannon is now trapped on a floating nightmare of screaming kids and obnoxious passengers, the very type of people she’d usually fantasize about eliminating. Yet, she finds herself unable to indulge her old habits. Is she truly rehabilitated, or is this just a phase?
What makes this book so compelling is its balance between hilarity, brutal honesty, and moments of unexpected vulnerability. Rhiannon’s perspective is as twisted as ever, but there’s a deeper emotional core here. Her conflicting feelings about Ivy, her past actions, and her future create an intriguing tension that keeps the pages turning. The setting—a cruise ship full of unbearable people—adds a claustrophobic edge, making the stakes feel even higher.
However, the shift in Rhiannon’s bloodlust may divide readers. Some may appreciate her character development, while others might miss the relentless savagery that made the previous books so addictive. Still, Skuse’s signature dark humour and knack for crafting an antihero you can’t help but root for remain as sharp as ever.
Dead Head is a worthy instalment in the Sweetpea series, offering a fascinating look at what happens when a killer tries to go straight—emphasis on tries. It’s twisted, hilarious, and unexpectedly thought-provoking. If you enjoyed the previous books, you’ll want to see where Rhiannon’s journey takes her next.
Also by C.J. Skuse
IN BLOOM
If only they knew the real truth. It should be my face on those front pages. My headlines. I did those things, not him. I just want to stand on that doorstep and scream IT WAS ME. ME. ME. ME. ME! Rhiannon Lewis has successfully fooled the world and framed her cheating fiancé Craig for the depraved and bloody killing spree she committed. She should be ecstatic that she’s free. Except for one small problem. She’s pregnant with her ex-lover’s child. The ex-lover she only recently chopped up and buried in her in-laws garden. And as much as Rhiannon wants to continue making her way through her kill lists, a small voice inside is trying to make her stop. But can a killer’s urges ever really be curbed?
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
C.J. SKUSE is the author of the Young Adult novels PRETTY BAD THINGS, ROCKOHOLIC and DEAD ROMANTIC (Chicken House), MONSTER and THE DEVIANTS (Mira Ink). She was born in 1980 in Weston-super-Mare, England. She has First Class degrees in Creative Writing and Writing for Children and, aside from writing novels lectures in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University. C.J. is currently working on adult novel SWEETPEA for HQ/HarperCollins (out April 2017).
C.J. loves Masterchef, Gummy Bears and murder sites. She hates carnivals, hard-boiled eggs and coughing. The movies Titanic, My Best Friend’s Wedding and Ruby Sparks were all probably based on her ideas; she just didn’t get to write them down in time. Before she dies, she would like to go to Japan, try clay-pigeon shooting and have Ryan Gosling present her with the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
If Alicia did not add: “give an author a second chance” to our 2025 book bingo card, I would most likely not have continued this series. I owe her a thank you for that one. I may not have been completely sold on Sweetpea, but since reading book two I admit to being a huge Rhiannon fan. This series is full of surprises and just keeps getting better. Thank you for visiting and reading my review. Are you a Rhiannon fan? I would love to hear your thoughts on this series, please leave a comment below. Until next time… Happy Reading!
