crime thriller

Review: What Waits in the Woods (Detective Rita Myers #2) by Terri Parlato

~ megs14malloy

What Waits in the WoodsWhat Waits in the Woods by Terri Parlato
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What Waits in the Woods is the 2nd-book in Terri Parlato’s Detective Rita Myers series. This is an Adult Police Procedural Mystery following, you guessed it, Detective Rita Myers.

I actually didn’t read the 1st-book, All the Dark Places, prior to reading this one, but I enjoyed this so much, I started the 1st-book immediately after and have already finished it.

It’s fair to say, I will continue to pick up each book in this series as they’re released. Keep ’em coming, Parlato!

This is a dual perspective story following Detective Myers and Esmé Foster, a young woman directly connected to the mystery investigated in this book.

I listened to the audiobook and the dual narrators truly brought these two perspectives to life.

Esmé left her small hometown of Graybridge, 11-years ago to pursue her ballet career. After an injury and a recent break-up though, she decides it’s finally time to return after she gets a call from her brother stating their father isn’t well.

The day that Esmé returns, a body is discovered on her family property. She arrives home to police cars and questions, not exactly the homecoming she was expecting.

Making matters worse is the fact that the dead body isn’t just some stranger, it’s Kara Cunningham, one of Esmé’s closest childhood friends.

Esmé is devastated by the loss of her friend, but there’s something else needling her as well. Esmé and Kara looked a lot alike, what if she was actually the intended target?

Esmé has her reasons for believing this could be the case, but it’s going to take her processing a lot of old baggage to actually figure it out.

Detective Rita Myers gets called to the Foster property after the discovery of Kara’s body and immediately digs in to her investigation. Detective Myers has a lot of experience and genuine care in her work.

There’s no doubt she is going to get to the bottom of this grisly crime, no matter what it takes.

I had so much fun reading this. The mystery was intriguing, the plot was fast-paced and the reveals were exciting and more often than not, unexpected.

I think Detective Myers is a fabulous main character and I know I am just going to become more and more attached to her as the series continues.

She’s a seasoned detective, no-nonsense and smart. She works with a lot of younger detectives and cops and you can tell that they look up to her as a leader.

I also enjoyed getting to know her more on a personal side outside of work. She has some interesting neighbors and even a potential love interest that I am hoping to learn more about in subsequent books.

As with many Mystery series, I don’t feel like you need to necessarily read these books in order. I didn’t feel like I was missing anything going into this because I hadn’t read the 1st-book yet. It’s a complete story unto itself.

I do feel, though, that this is the type of series where the longer you stay involved with this group of characters, the more attached you become, and the higher your enjoyment level will ultimately be.

I knew right away that I would continue on with this series. The writing is compelling, the mystery is well-formatted and the characters are likable.

This is a very solid Police Procedural Mystery. I would recommend it for fans of Caz Frear’s Cat Kinsella series, or Gytha Lodge’s DCI Jonah Sheens series, as I feel like the tone here and quality of the mystery are very similar to those.

Thank you to the publisher, Recorded Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I’m so excited to have a new Mystery author to follow. I hope this series keeps going for a long, long time!

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Review: First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

~ megs14malloy

First Lie WinsFirst Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ashley Elston is a beloved author of YA-Mystery/Thriller and Contemporary stories. She’s one of my favorites actually.

I’ve picked up all of her releases since I first discovered her top-notch writing on full display in This Is Our Story, published in 2016.

That one kept me guessing until the very end. I loved the pace of it and the investigatory elements woven throughout. I was stoked to have a new author to swoon over.

With First Lie Wins, Elston delivers us her first work in the Adult space. I’m happy to report, she’s entering the fairly-saturated Thriller market with a banger.

This story was completely engrossing and intriguing, with well-fleshed out characters. It grabbed a hold of my from the very beginning and never let up.

Normally, I would summarize a bit of the plot, but I don’t want to here. I want you to go in knowing little to nothing about this story. That’s the best way to experience it, IMO.

I’m not sure that I ever read the synopsis. Elston’s name on the cover was enough.

This story does feature action, high-stakes and shady underground networks. I would say it is on trend with such recent releases as Zero Days and Before She Finds Me.

If you enjoyed either of those two books, you should absolutely pick this one up. I would also recommend this to anyone who enjoys a long-game; IYKYK.

Elston’s writing is so fluid and engaging, it’s clear she would be successful in whatever genre she chooses to write in. Personally though, I am hoping for a lot more in this space. This was fascinating and well-structured.

An exciting Adult Thriller.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Pamela Dorman Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

This was a great way to kick off my 2024-reading journey!

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Review: The Haunting on West 10th Street (Detective Maria Miller #1) by Helen Phifer

~ megs14malloy

The Haunting on West 10th Street (Detective Maria Miller, #1)The Haunting on West 10th Street by Helen Phifer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Haunting on West 10th Street is the 1st-book in the Detective Maria Miller Police Procedural Mystery series by Helen Phifer.

In this story we follow Detective Miller and her partner, Frankie, as they investigate a brutal crime in the attic of a Greenwich brownstone, where decades earlier a beautiful actress was murdered in the same way. The detectives are puzzled by the disturbing similarities between the crimes occurring in this house.

How could they be connected? Do they just have a sadistic copycat on their hands, or something more sinister?

Immediately upon entering the brownstone, Maria feels something dark. It’s a tickle in her senses; unpleasant and unsettling. The dramatic staging of the crime scene only enhances these feelings.

In both the past and present cases, body parts were removed from the victims and not recovered. Additionally, evidence of satanic rituals have been found. Who could possibly want to recreate something so evil?

This story is told using a dual timeline. We follow Maria and Frankie in the present, but we also get a historical perspective featuring the events leading up to the previous murder in the house. Lastly, we do get a modern perspective from an unknown individual, who appears to be our baddie.

I enjoyed getting the multi-perspectives, as well as the history. Although I did find the past sections a little slower-paced than the modern perspectives. With this being said, I still enjoyed the fact that it was told this way and I feel like it gave a lot of needed insight into the property and the characters involved.

The brownstone on West 10th feels like a haunting presence in this story. It becomes a character unto itself and I always appreciate when an author can provide us with such a vivid sense of place.

There is quite a bit of focus on the partnership between Maria and Frankie. They’ve been together for a long time and you can tell that they both care deeply for one another, but with Frankie’s marriage failing, could there be something more?

I know some Readers won’t care for the slight romance plot that’s woven throughout this story, but for me, I found it made the characters feel more realistic.

When you’re working with someone as closely as these two are, over a number of years, there’s bound to be some types of complicated feelings intrinsic to that relationship.

I didn’t feel like the author overplayed that, or let it overshadow the investigative aspects of the story. For me, it was blended in well and felt natural.

I did have the chance to listen to the audiobook for this one and I definitely recommend it as a format for this story. The back-and-forth between the timelines was handled well and the narration is fantastic.

Overall, this was super entertaining. I vibed well with Maria as a character and am definitely looking forward to going along on future investigations with these detectives. The ending was such a great set-up for the continuation of the series. I can’t wait to see what will come their way next.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys darker, Police Procedural Mysteries. Particularly, if you are a Horror fan like me, this may work really well for your tastes. Phifer definitely has a knack for incorporating some paranormal aspects into her mysteries.

Thank you to the publisher, Storm Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to continue on with this series!

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Review: You Always Come Back by Emily Smith

~ megs14malloy

You Always Come BackYou Always Come Back by Emily Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Nine years ago, July Weaver’s younger sister, May, was the first victim of a serial killer in rural Georgia, dubbed the Pacific Lake Killer.

After July’s own testimony puts her father away for the crimes, she decides she’s had enough. She flees her family home to try to make it on her own in Nashville.

Struggling with addiction and not necessarily achieving all her dreams career-wise, July finds herself in a bit of a rut. Then she gets a call from her family.

Ughhh, just when you think things can’t get any worse…

It appears her younger brother, Dec, who also struggles with substance abuse, has had a major setback and may even have tried to take his own life.

It’s one of her older brothers who reaches out to her and he insists that July comes home. They need to fix this as a family. Begrudgingly, she agrees and heads home for the first time in nine long years.

July heads home expecting an uncomfortable family reunion, what she’s not expecting is to discover new evidence that will make her question everything; her Dad, her choices and her sister’s death.

Is it possible the wrong man went away for the crimes? Is the Pacific Lake Killer still out there? And if they are, is there any way for July to make it right?

You Always Come Back was such a delightful surprise. I had no idea what to expect going into this debut, as far as quality goes, and I’ll tell you, I’m tickled pink.

I listened to the audiobook and recommend that as a format for people who have access to it. The narration brought this story to life and drew me in immediately.

I loved the overall tone of the story. It brought to mind a sort of hillbilly noir quality that I always enjoy. Fans of The Familiar Dark and Out of the Ashes should sit up and pay attention. This one is good!

I really enjoyed the way Smith told this story. The back-and-forth between past and present, as a way to develop the family dynamics and history, was so intriguing.

I found both perspectives equally fascinating and for me, the pace never slowed down once July got back home.

I do adore the trope of an MC returning to their hometown after many years away, looking into a mystery, or digging into something they have questions about. In that regard, this story fit my tastes to a tee.

In addition to that though, I just feel like this is great storytelling, start-to-finish. Interesting characters, an intriguing mystery and some unsettling atmosphere. What more can you want?

I am so happy to have read this and to have a new Mystery/Suspense author to fangirl over. I’m looking forward to reading Smith’s next novel!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. This one exceeded all my expectations!

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Review: Dark Corners (Rachel Krall #2) by Megan Goldin

~ megs14malloy

Dark Corners (Rachel Krall, #2)Dark Corners by Megan Goldin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dark Corners is the second novel Megan Goldin has written featuring True Crime Podcaster, Rachel Krall. Even though this is the second book with Rachel as a main character, in my opinion, this can be enjoyed as a standalone.

I would recommend the first novel though, The Night Swim, because it is such a great story. Additionally, I would recommend the audiobooks for both of these titles, as the podcasting elements translate so well to that format.

This story begins shortly after Rachel finishes up her investigation that was covered in the first book. She has just returned home and is ready for a little R&R. It’s at that time, of course, that she receives an intriguing call from an FBI Agent located in Florida.

He’s working an active missing person case. It’s a bit of an odd case and he is seeking Rachel’s help. Unable to resist temptation to learn more about the case, Rachel agrees to meet with him. She packs her bag and heads out.

The missing person in question is Maddison Logan, a young influencer with a huge social media following. She had recently been to visit a man, Terence Bailey, imprisoned on a B&E charge, but long suspected of actually having been responsible for the deaths of six women.

Shortly after leaving the prison, Maddison disappears. The FBI have hit a dead end. Maddison’s life is a complete mystery. She doesn’t even use her real name. How are they ever going to find out more about her?

Thus, Rachel gets shoved into the world of high-profile influencers. Creating a fake Instagram account, Rachel is able to infiltrate BuzzCon, a popular influence conference, which happens to be underway in the local area.

There Rachel learns more about the influencer culture, Maddison and the people she associates with online. Per usual, Rachel is like a dog with a bone when it comes to investigating crimes. She won’t give up until she gets answers. The FBI definitely called on the right girl.

I really enjoyed this one. I was a bit nervous going in, because I had read some less than stellar early reviews, but luckily, for me, this was a hit rather than a miss.

I became invested in the mystery early and felt the audiobook was an incredible way to experience it. I liked the examination of influencer culture and the convention was a great way for Rachel to immerse herself in that community.

I also found the mystery involving Terence Bailey and Maddison’s disappearance so interesting. There were a lot of moving pieces and it wasn’t always as easy to make out who was who, but I feel like it had a way of working itself out.

There were moments where I would start to get confused amongst the characters, but overall, I feel like Goldin pulled it together as the reveals were starting to happen.

There was a romance subplot, which I’m on the fence about. I could have taken it, or left it far behind. I ended up really liking the love interest, so I’m ultimately okay with it and actually hope they are in future books.

With this being said, at no time during The Night Swim did I ever think, you know what would make this better? If Rachel had a man? Never once.

Of course, if that is my biggest meh-moment with this story, I would say that’s pretty good. I’m not sure what the plans are for Rachel Krall. If there are going to be more books in this series, or not. I certainly hope so.

I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys taut and compelling mysteries, with a True Crime podcast element. I think these mysteries are well plotted and there are exciting twists and turns along the way.

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I look forward to more from Megan Goldin!

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Review: The Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard

~ megs14malloy

The TrapThe Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Trap is the latest release from beloved Irish author, Catherine Ryan Howard. I was so excited for this novel and happily, ended up really enjoying it.

Admittedly, I did reread about 40% of it, due to slight confusion with perspective shifts, but I was definitely invested in the story nevertheless.

The Trap is inspired by the real-life cases of missing women in Ireland in the late 1980s-early 1990s. If you are curious about these events, prior to picking up the novel, I would recommend a google search for Ireland’s Vanishing Triangle.

Additionally, if you do decide to pick this one up, which I absolutely recommend if you are a fan of Crime Fiction, be sure to read the Author’s Note at the end where she discusses her motivations for writing this story.

The Trap is told via a few different perspectives. I enjoyed them all and felt each of the main characters brought some intrigue and feeling to the table. I particularly enjoyed that we got the perspective of the criminal. That was disturbing.

One of the perspectives is Lucy, whose sister, Nicki, has been missing for a year; disappearing after a night out with friends. I felt like Lucy really took center stage in bringing all aspects of this story together.

We also get the perspective of a woman working in a civilian capacity for the police force investigating the disappearances, and as mentioned above, the baddie.

It does shift a lot and if you aren’t paying close enough attention, to people mentioned, as well as the timeline, it can be easy for it to get a little muddled. I came to a point, about 65% of the way through, where there was a reveal and I was like, who is this person?

Needless to say, I learned my lesson and went back and reread. It certainly made that reveal much more impactful and honestly, I was enjoying it so much that I didn’t mind at all. It helped to reiterate the facts of the story for me and I am glad I took the time to do that.

This is only the second book I have read from this author, but I am excited to read more. Incidentally, the other was Run Time, which I thought was so good.

I feel like Ryan Howard has a knack for examining the darker side of humanity with her stories and that’s what I am here for when I pick up a book. I love the atmosphere she creates as well. Her stories definitely have ominous vibes.

This got me in the end. I loved how it sort of flipped the script on how I was expecting it to end. I thought it was so well-plotted, particularly in that regard.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I think a lot of Thriller Readers are going to really enjoy this.

I’m definitely going to start exploring some of Catherine Ryan Howard’s backlist. I think we are going to have a long and beautiful friendship…

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Review: The Woods Are Waiting by Katherine Greene

~ megs14malloy

The Woods Are WaitingThe Woods Are Waiting by Katherine Greene
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Woods Are Waiting is a solid debut. It is a fairly simplistic story, but was easy to understand and I enjoyed the overall tone of Greene’s writing.

To be honest, I’m not sure how long the story and characters will stick in my mind, but I would absolutely pick up future work from this author.

In this story we’re following two women, Cheyenne and Natalie. They were childhood best friends, but after Cheyenne moved away suddenly, they lost touch.

Both born and raised in Blue Cliff, Virginia, the women are well versed in the local town lore and superstitions.

Cheyenne, who was raised in the mountains by her single-eccentric mother, in part fled the town to be done with all that stuff. She couldn’t take it anymore.

When a child disappears in Blue Cliff though, Cheyenne receives a call that the event has put her mother in a tailspin and she needs to return home.

The missing boy is all too reminiscent of the three children who were kidnapped and murdered five years before. A man named Jasper went to jail for those killings, but was recently released on a technicality, now another boy is gone.

Nat never left Blue Cliff and she’s surprised when Cheyenne returns. Will the two women being able to repair their relationship long enough to figure out this new disappearance before it’s too late?

As mentioned above, I particularly enjoyed the feel of this. Set in a small town in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, this narrative had a sort of Hillbilly Noir quality to it that I have enjoyed previously in Crime Fiction books such as The Familiar Dark and Out of the Ashes.

It was gritty and I enjoyed all the local lore that the main plot points revolved around. The characters as well were easy to follow, learn about and were mostly likable.

There’s a lot of drama in the town and I think Cheyenne is fairly quickly reminded about why she left. I also tend to love the trope of someone returning to their hometown after many years and investigating some sort of mystery, so this one checked that box as well.

I didn’t really enjoy the pace though. By the time I got to the 50%-point, I still felt like nothing happened. Not like in a slow-burn sort of way either, more in a hum-drum, there’s no action-way.

I think maybe the construction of the story was just slightly too simplistic, so it didn’t really have a chance to build any good suspense, in my opinion. Because of this, I also don’t feel this story is particularly memorable.

With this being said, this is a debut and I do think it is a great effort. I will definitely pick up whatever this author chooses to write next. I think there is a lot of potential here for growth and I am happy to go along for the ride.

Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to seeing where Greene’s work goes from here.

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Review: Speak of the Devil by Rose Wilding

~ megs14malloy

Speak of the DevilSpeak of the Devil by Rose Wilding
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Speak of the Devil is a creative work of Crime Fiction told in a bit of an unconventional way.

I’ll admit, the first couple sentences of the synopsis are what sold me on picking this one up. I needed nothing further. Yes, please. You had me at ‘severed head’…

In fact, this story does begin with a severed head in a dingy hotel room. Seven women, all very different, but all somehow connected to the man to whom the head once belonged, are gathered around it.

They all had their own reasons for wanting him dead, yet none of them own up to the crime.

Can they figure out who is guilty before the authorities decide for them?

First off, I found this extremely interesting, the content and topics explored. However, I also found the construction of the story to be a bit jarring. There are a lot of characters and you get all of their perspectives. The narrative jumps around a lot, not only via perspective, but also in time.

With this being said, I found the individual perspectives compelling. As you read how each of the women are connected to the murdered man, Jamie, and you come to understand the different experiences that they each had with him, the true portrait of who Jamie was becomes clear.

The way he treated these women. His narcissism, abusive, violent and derogatory behaviors landed him in the spot he ultimately found himself in, headless.

But we can’t just go around decapitating men who use, abuse, gaslight and disregard us, can we?

While I did have some moments where I had to really search my brain to remember some previous connection, or fact, overall, I did enjoy this one.

There was a lot of great social commentary of the treatment of women who have been victimized; whether they are believed, or painted as somehow responsible for the evil things that have happened to them.

As a revenge story, I feel quite satisfied with this one and am definitely interested in picking up future work from this author. This got dark and I appreciate Wilding’s commitment to taking it there.

I would recommend this one to Readers who enjoy a lot of deep character work and social commentary in their Crime Fiction. Additionally, I would recommend the audiobook. I enjoyed the narration style quite a bit.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This has left me with quite a bit to think about!

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Review: The Twenty (Major Crimes #2) by Sam Holland

~ megs14malloy

The TwentyThe Twenty by Sam Holland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Twenty is the second book in Sam Holland’s intense Crime Fiction series, Major Crimes.

I very recently read the first book in the series, The Echo Man, and was blown away by it. Gritty, gruesome and gripping, the taut mystery really did it for me.

I wasn’t quite sure going in how exactly this one would be related to the first and it did take me a wee bit to figure out the connection.

These novels are set in the UK and I’m not super familiar with their criminal justice system, so please forgive me if I get the terminology wrong.

I think essentially, this involves the same large police department, but it just follows investigators at what in the U.S. would be called, a different precinct, than the first.

We aren’t following any of the same main characters as the first book, but The Echo Man crimes are alluded to and one of the investigators from the first book is mentioned a few times, as well as getting her own cameo.

Our two mains here are DCI Adam Bishop and Dr. Romilly Cole. The crimes involved are numerous, brutal and perplexing. They also connect, in a way, to Romilly’s past.

The case at the heart of the book involves bodies being found, in varying states of decomp, that have roman numerals marked above them. It quickly becomes evident that the killer is counting down and there’s a way to go.

If they can’t find this sadist and stop them in time, a lot more bodies are bound to fall.

This is another solidly-brutal and compelling story from Holland. It did take me a bit longer to get into this one; to connect, but it did pick up speed and intrigue in the second half. The end left my jaw on the floor.

There were a lot of complex relationship dynamics in this one and at times, I felt like those issues sort of overshadowed the overriding mystery. Or maybe, it would be more accurate for me to say that those relationship subplots distracted me from the overall mystery.

Because of this, the balance was a little off for my taste.

With this being said, I still found this to be a super enjoyable read. In my opinion, it would be hard to follow up The Echo Man, as it was such a fantastic debut.

I feel like Holland has succeeded with her sophomore effort. This delivered intrigue and action. It left me wanting more. Happily, it seems like with this ending, there will definitely be more books in this series.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait for the next book!

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Review: The Echo Man (Major Crimes #1) by Sam Holland

~ megs14malloy

The Echo ManThe Echo Man by Sam Holland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

The Echo Man is a debut Adult Thriller from Sam Holland. This novel released in 2022 and the follow-up, The Twenty, just released in early-May.

In anticipation of the release of The Twenty, which I was kindly gifted a copy by Crooked Lane Books, I wanted to be sure to pick this one up first.

I don’t know if, or how they’re related, or if you need to read them in order, but when I can, I do like to pick up an author’s work in order of release.

I decided on the audio for this one and loved that format. It was so addictive and cringey, hearing it out loud. It was exactly the reading experience I needed at the moment.

This is one of those stories that is hard to explain, but it was expertly woven together, so when you’re reading it, everything fits; everything makes sense.

There’s a woman named Jessica, married, living with her husband and their daughter. We start following her just before her house is set on fire. She narrowly escapes with her injured daughter in her arms. Her husband, sleeping in a different room, wasn’t lucky enough to make it out.

The police suspect Jessica is guilty of setting the fire, but she didn’t do it. Because of a shady history though, she’s afraid of not being believed and she flees from the hospital where she was being treated for minor injuries.

She befriends a disgraced detective, Nate Griffin, who knows Jessica isn’t guilty. In fact, he suspects the crime against Jessica and her family may have been committed by a criminal who has gotten away from him in the past.

There’s also a detective duo, Cara Elliott and Noah Deakin, who are simultaneously working a series of seemingly unrelated murders. As the bodies begin to add up, Cara can’t help but notice how the crimes seem to match those of famous serial killers.

You’re following these two separate duos, watching as their stories begin to blend and ultimately thread together into one nail-biting, pulse-pounding conclusion.

I found it very compelling. I was so into what was going on with Jessica, but also loved following along with Cara, on the more police procedural side of things. I felt it was the perfect blend of their two storylines; and I liked having one civilian perspective in addition to the investigators.

Both sides were equally interesting and the pace at which it alternated was perfection.

Let me be clear, this isn’t a story for the faint of heart. It’s not your average Thriller and it definitely took me by surprise. This gets DARK. Honestly, it contains some of the most brutal depictions of violence that I have ever read and I read dark shit for fun, like that’s my comfort zone.

I’m talking toe-curling, grimacing, exclaiming expletives whilst listening to it, dark. Not only that though, what a solid mystery; so good!

Overall, I am beyond happy that I finally made time for this one. What a way to enter the scene, Sam Holland.

I will remember this one for a long time to come and am looking forward to beginning The Twenty soon!

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