Published: May 4, 2023

Bookouture

Genre: Police Procedurals

Pages: 328

KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

M.M. Chouinard is the author of the Detective Jo Fournier mystery thrillers, and the standalone mystery thriller The Vacation. Her first fiction story was published in her local paper when she was eight, and she fell in love with Agatha Christie novels not long after. While pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology and helping to found the first U.S. research university of the new millennium, the stories kept rattling around inside her skull, demanding to come out. For sanity’s sake, she released them.

“Don’t worry, darling. I made sure they can’t prove anything.”

Jo is finding the balance between her work and home life, and she finally feels like she and Matt have things figured out. She is still concerned for her sister and brother-in-law and isn’t sure what is happening with their marriage. When a pregnant woman is found murdered in what seems to be a cult-like ritual, now Jo and team are in a race against the clock.

OH, MY STARS. The puzzle pieces in this book were insane. The way the story builds is so brilliant and so detailed. I loved having so many characters to follow!

We meet some new characters in this book right away, and we get to know a character a bit better. We also witness Jo and the team work their magic together to solve a mystery.

Something I love about M.M.’s writing is she does not stray away from social issues, like satanic panic, and proves that it is usually a false narrative. I found that element so interesting in this story. It added such a weird dynamic and how the pieces fall into place; you don’t know what is real.

I was again blown away by Chouinard’s ability to bring a monster to life while keeping the human element close. The narcissism and ego, and fragile masculinity were so well done. The way the negative aspects of the traits were all represented but also woven into the fabric, so they blended when necessary, was fantastic.

I loved the way this story unfolded and that we got to experience Jo’s thought process and how she sifted through the information to find the truth. There were a couple of callbacks to other books that I appreciated and one that made my heart clench.

The pacing of this book is so intense, and as the pressure builds, you don’t know who is doing what- until suddenly, the lights come on, and you find yourself utterly stupefied.

I did not see the twist coming, and when it played out, I could not read fast enough. The way this book ends will make you furious, but it will also make you love Jo and her team!

As always, this was well worth the wait. The time and attention to detail are spectacular. I truly dread the day this series comes to an end. I cannot imagine having to say goodbye to Jo and her team. I’m anxiously (and obnoxiously) waiting for the next one!