Man, this book was slow – not a slow burn, just slow. I loved the first one and remember it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. This one, not so much. Esme is naïve and somewhat unlikeable; the rest of the characters are not much better. Rita, herself, is smarter but other than that, kind of dull; I just couldn’t connect with her (or anyone, really) in this one. The pacing is off and makes it less of a thriller and more of a mystery. Not giving up on the series or the author but this one was a miss for me.

Don’t miss this dark and twisted tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat. What Waits in the Woods is a captivating story of Esmé’s return to her old life in her hometown, where she faces the challenges of reconnecting with her family and friends. This novel is a masterpiece of storytelling, with a complex plot that may seem slow at first, but is actually full of twists and turns that will surprise you. You will be hooked by the ever-increasing suspense and the mysterious motives of the characters. Trust me, you won’t regret reading this book.

The characters are the heart and soul of this novel. They have rich backstories and realistic development that make them come alive on the page. You will get to know both Rita and Esmé through their alternating perspectives, as they unravel a cleverly woven web of domestic drama and crime investigation. You will be amazed by their authentic voices and actions, and how they relate to the events that unfold. You will also empathize with Esmé’s struggle to adapt to her new reality, as her paranoia starts to consume her. This is a novel that will make you feel and think, and leave you wanting more.

This one had so much promise!

I’m kinda bummed by this read, its summary sounded so good and it had so much promise! Honestly if there would have been 50ish pages cut it would have been a 5⭐️ for me. I was immediately hooked but got bored around the 35% mark. It did pick back up but the resolution took longer than normal as well. I didn’t guess the killer though I was convinced that I had. Again I really enjoyed the writing and plot of the book, but someone of the information about other characters, like Jack, ended up being insignificant in the end and felt like filler.

This one is out today! I will definitely be reading other books by this author!

This was one of my most anticipated reads/listens of the year after absolutely loving Rita in Parlato's debut. While it wasn't quite as enjoyable to me as her first book, I did enjoy it. I just didn't REALLY enjoy it. It felt a little lackluster and ultimately I ended up just finding it to be an average whodunit read. I didn't ever really connect with any of the characters, including Rita, who I adored last book.

There was a lot of extra information and side stories that I wasn't particularly drawn too., but that also made it so I wasn't completely sure who was guilty and how the book would end, I guess that's a bit of a double-edge sword, but I do think I ultimately would have enjoyed the book more without all the extra fluff . Some chapters seemed to end abruptly which wasn't so bad when I was reading the physical book, but it did leave me a little confused when listening to the audio version. The narrators were fine to listen too though and overall, it was easy to follow to listen at an increased speed.

Thank you NetGalley, RB Media, and Kensington Books for my ARC/ALC!

My thoughts - this one started really strong. I was immediately pulled in and interested in the storyline. Unfortunately, the middle seemed to stall a bit for me and then the ending felt way too fast.

I was really interested in the ‘interwoven stories’ with her past and the present murder, but I wish it was flushed out more to feel like a bigger part of the overall story.

Overall, this one was OK but didn’t WOW me.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A good small town police procedural. Lots of suspects and twists leaving the final reveal until the very end. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Terri Parlato returns following All The Dark Places with her popular Detective Rita Myers series #2, WHAT WAITS IN THE WOODS —a dark and twisty tale that grips you from the beginning to the end. A young woman ballet dancer returns home to find another mystery in a town she swore she would never return.

DEADLY SECRETS TAKE CENTER STAGE.

With unexpected plot twists, atmospheric and psychologically rich, a mysterious dance between past and present.

Esmé Foster left the Boston suburbs to become a professional ballerina, leaving her hometown behind. Eleven years later, she returned to Graybridge due to an injury that halted her career.

She needs to help her brother take care of her dying father and reluctantly moves back. But she is not welcomed by some in the small town who still live as though they are back in high school.

Upon her return, there is a murder of Kara Cunningham, one of Esme's high school friends, found dead in the woods behind their family home.

There has been much grief in Esme's life from one of her childhood friends, her mom killed in a car accident, a grief-stricken (alcoholic) father, and now this.

Esme still sees someone in her dreams from the night of the car accident, warning they would kill her, too. She and Kara looked alike. Could she have been the intended target?

Years ago, a young girl (her friend) drowned in a pond in the woods. These girls, a close circle of friends, were connected. Secrets, lies, betrayal, and deception emerge from the past in this chilling suburban domestic thriller where nothing is as it appears.

Detective Rita Myers is on the case. Who is the murderer, what is the motive, and will Esmé be next? Will Detective Rita Myers be able to save her before it is too late?

Atmospheric, the author sets the mood for this multi-layered cop procedural where the past collides with the present. #CoverLove A whodunit and whydunit.

WHAT WAITS IN THE WOODS can be read as a standalone; however, I recommend you read both books. I enjoyed the wrap-up, Esmé's character, and Detective Rita!

There are a lot of red herrings, suspects, and dysfunctional characters keeping you guessing. Told from alternating POV: Rita and Esmé and lots of jealousy by the local townspeople in this small town. I look forward to seeing what comes next from this talented author.

For fans of Kate Alice Marshall's What Lies in the Woods and No One Can Know.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Dec 26, 2023
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I enjoyed this fast paced , small town , creepy cop procedural.
I couldn't holiday & this book was perfect for that .

I liked the characters of both Rita & Esme .
The short chapters were brilliant . I blew threw this one .
The whole character of Mr York was annoying & OMG IRENE!!! That woman ...

Overall I enjoyed this one . New author for me & I'd def read more 🖤

#NetGalley #WhatWaitsintheWoods

Also I need a Colin in my life to bring me yummy food . Eggplant Parm is calling my name !

No more holiday books for me - I've overdosed on them this year. Sharing with you today this gem that I devoured at rapid speed. Such an entertaining book, simply brilliant on audio too. There was a lot of suspense as we followed Esme, a former ballerina who returns to her hometown to find her best friend has been murdered. This was a real page turner that had me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Get your copy soon - it publishes on 26th December.

I read a lot of good things about the author. So when the opportunity arose to read What Waits in the Woods, I immediately took advantage of the offer. Needless to say, I was disappointed.

For me, the issues I had with the novel were the pacing and the "white noise" that detracted from the murder investigation. A lot of the "white noise" came from the two main protagonist's family dramas that really took a lot away from the suspense and mystery. And nothing exciting gets revealed even by the 33% point. By which time I gave up from boredom. An unfortunate one star DNF.

I received a DRC from Kensington Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

With her life in disarray and her career in question, Esme will return to her hometown, where her choices were easy and she felt safe.....until the night of her mother's death. The trauma of that accident will leave it's scars and leave her always wondering. But now she's an adult and her family needs her as much as she needs them.

When Esme's life at home is shaken by the death of a friend, a friend who looked like Esme, it will leave her wondering if her prior trauma was real and her life is in danger. Enter Detective Rita Meyers, veteran police officer and the other half of this complicated investigation. Between Esme and Rita, readers are taken deep into the dark side of a small town that seems perfect on the surface. We'll watch as these two women use every skill they have to solve a mystery that started with Esme's mother's death.

This book was just ok. The story had no spunk. Everything felt weighted down and slow. It needed some excitement or more suspense to get this up to a higher rating.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read the ARC of this wonderful mystery. The story is told in alternating chapters between Esme, a ballerina forced to abandon her dreams due to an injury and Rita, a detective waiting to solve her next big case. There is a murder victim in the woods behind Esme's family home. It is Kara, a friend of Esme's from years past. Rita is on the case and starts lining up suspects. There is a drug dealer, his sister who was recently released from a mental facility, a neighbor who has secrets, Esme's brother and several others who prove to be in the clear. It becomes a tangled web of secrets and as the story unfolds pieces of the puzzle fall into place. It has a successful ending and was a very enjoyable read trying to solve the murder before Rita did. I failed but happily Rita succeeded, and I would recommend this book to everyone.

What waits in the woods tells the story of esme, a former ballet dancer who returns home to help her brother care for their ailing father. Esme has left home to escape her past after an accident killed her mother. After arriving home, an old friend is found dead in their woods opening up an investigation that ties back to esmes past. The novel alternates pov between esme and the investigator, Rita, who also has her reasons for being so involved. In the case.

Parlato has crafted a readable novel and a plot one can delve into. The dialogue feels somewhat basic at times, which a few times distracted me from the fun of the plot. This will add nothing new to the genre, but still a fun read nonetheless.

Thanks to the publisher for providing the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A solid procedural, with both a detective character that is multidimensional and the characters involved in the mystery being complicated and well rounded (if possibly a few too many to keep track of). I'll read more in this series if they continue.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it in your local and online bookstores and libraries on December 26, 2023.

Esmé Foster left her hometown of Graybridge, Massachusetts, eleven years ago to pursue a career as a ballerina. Now, after an injury ends her ballet career, she moves home to help her brother care for their alcoholic father. The same day she gets home, she discovers that her best friend from high school has just been murdered in the woods behind her father’s house. Detective Rita Myers is already there, gathering clues.

This was a really solid mystery/domestic suspense novel. Even though I thought it was well-written, and I really enjoyed the characters, I thought the ending came out of left field. I think most mystery/thriller writers strive to keep their readers guessing, but it feels a little bit like cheating when the “twist” is something that’s barely in the book. Of course no one can guess your plot twist! 😂 I still liked the book, but that kept it from getting four stars.

Eh, this was more of a small town domestic whodunit than a thriller, so it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. Didn’t love it, but also didn’t hate it. Esme, a former ballerina, returns home after a career ending injury to find one of her childhood friends was murdered in her backyard. During the investigation, Esme starts to question family relationships, childhood memories and friendships. As things started coming to a head it was easy to guess whodunit, so I wasn’t shocked by the reveal. Also found the story to get a bit repetitive in the middle and it dragged a bit. Overall it was an ok read.

I loved this suspenseful and intricately plotted read. I was drawn into the search for Kara's killer. Rita's more objective perspective was an interesting counterpoint to Esme's personal perspective. Jaw dropping twists added another exciting dimension to the story.

I wanted to like this book. The premise was wonderful. The book was too slow for me. I never really. Book was a who done it with a surprise ending. It was too difficult to get there however I skipped a lot. There’s not much to say about it my feelings are lukewarm about this book I don’t recommend it

This is my very first book by Terri Parlato and she had me hooked from the very beginning!! Este’s ballerina career had come to an end so she decided to leave her bf of 12 years and move back to her home town while her father was dying. A murder takes place and then more things start taking place. I really enjoyed this thriller and just when I thought I knew who did it, it wasn’t the case. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for my honest review. I look forward to more books by this author.