Detective Natalie Lockhart’s older sister, Willow, was murdered twenty years ago by her boyfriend. When her sister Grace’s friend, Daisy, is murdered, Natalie is assigned the case. Both Natalie and Daisy’s husband are detectives with the Burning Lake Police Force and he recently announced that Daisy was expecting their first child. Who would murder this well-liked teacher? Natalie has also been looking into the case of nine people who, over the years, have gone missing from their small town. The story involves witchcraft and covens and the detailed narrative of how this has affected their lives. Meanwhile, Natalie very methodically interviews witnesses and collects evidence that will lead her to a major break in both cases. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

This book was quite riveting, and even though much of the content made me uneasy, it kept me trying to figure out just where Blanchard was taking me next and how it was ever going to come together. It did come together nicely in the end, and Blanchard kept me totally guessing until the very last pages. I was a bit disconcerted by the ending, and found it creepy and dark throughout. I would like to see more of Natalie Lockhart in the future!

Not only did this book have one solid mystery, it had three, and Blanchard did a GREAT job of maintaining and tying them all together in different ways. I was wholly invested in finding out who killed Daisy, what happened to the Missing 9, and who it was that was haunting Natalie's own traumatic past. Blanchard laid the clues out and had just enough red herrings that I was caught completely off guard by the solutions. But along with the great mystery, we get a really interesting and complex protagonist in Natalie, as her past trauma's involving her own attack at the murder of her older sister have shaped her in ways that give her a bit of angsty darkness that gives her edge without being too filled with bleakness. And the icing on the cake is that Blanchard brings in some teenage witchcraft elements that are reminiscent of THE CRAFT, one of my favorite witch movies of all time. I really, really loved this book because it felt hand tailored to me and my interests.

I cannot wait to see what Alice Blanchard does with Natalie Lockhart. After all, this is the first in a series, and I just know it's one I'm going to be obsessed with.

I spent the first 75-80% or so of this book thinking it was a solid start to a new police procedural series. It's got a lot of great, traditional mystery elements to it and relies on good detective work throughout to reveal breaks in the case versus big twists. However, the last quarter or so of the book absolutely blew me away. Should I have seen all of these things coming? Maybe, but I think the author did a great job pulling off a surprising and genuinely moving ending without resorting to measures that made it feel like a trick. I really love Natalie Lockhart as a character, and since these seems to be the first in a series, I am interested to see how she reacts and recovers from the events in this book. This is one not to miss!

Atmospheric and creepy, this is the perfect thriller for a dark autumn night. Natalie Lockhart is a police officer in he town where she grew up, and is investigating the murder of a woman she's known all her life, the best friend of one of her sisters. Natalie's other sister was murdered twenty years ago, and her death hangs over the current case. The town is also haunted by it's history of executing suspected witches, and generations of teen girls have experimented with magic and witchcraft.

I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and the atmosphere in this book. The town history, the teen girl drama, and the way the case intertwined with Natalie's personal life all had me completely engrossed. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes creepy mysteries or police procedurals. The witchcraft angle reminded me a bit of The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton. I will definitely read the next book in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for an advanced reading copy of Trace of Evil in exchange for an honest review. I really hope this one doesn't come back to bite me.

I have no idea how to review this book.

On the one hand, I hate writing negative reviews; I know how much work goes into writing even one draft of a novel, much less getting it to a publishable state, and I have no desire to trash another person’s work.

But on the other hand, the publisher granted my Netgalley request in exchange for an honest review.

The book isn’t horrible. But it reads like an early draft rather than a polished finished product from an established, award-winning novelist. There are irrelevant infodumps and constant flashbacks to rather boring parts of the protagonist’s childhood. The solution to the mystery comes out of nowhere. I couldn’t engage with any of the characters that much, which was a huge shame. There were a lot of characters (such as Bunny, a mentally ill homeless woman who is beloved in town) who could’ve been developed more.

Then there’s the police procedures. This is what really irritated me. Nothing really rang true. For example:

1. The police return to the crime scene multiple times to collect evidence. No. Once they leave, the chain of custody is broken and any evidence they find will not hold up in a court of law. They hadn’t left anyone to guard/control the sealed-up crime scene; all the police had left when Natalie returns alone to the house where the murder occurred and searches through the victim’s belongings.
(She's obviously looking for evidence because she puts on disposable gloves and brings along evidence bags. She doesn't cover her shoes, though; even if the police still maintained the chain of custody, this is unprofessional on her part as it would contaminate the scene..)

2. One cop tells another, “I’m speculating, like any responsible detective would.” Um, no, at least as I understand it. As the murder has happened only recently and they have not finished their investigation, they don’t have all the facts they need. Speculation seems premature and, frankly, irresponsible (especially as the case involves a close coworker!)

3. Luke, Natalie’s boss, should realize that having his rookie detective question her own sister and niece will not go well and either partner her with someone or take her off the case. Natalie’s too emotionally invested in all the suspects to maintain any objectivity.

4. It’s absolutely bizarre that Natalie is apparently still wearing her “lucky” bulletproof vest that caught a bullet during a drug raid. To my understanding, once a vest is damaged by a bullet, it needs to be replaced. (This is possibly not a problem. She doesn't explicitly say she wears it. But she says that she needs to have it replaced soon, since vests wear out every 5 years or so, which indicates to me that this particular one is still in use.)

5. Why, oh why, is there no internal investigation into Natalie’s actions at the end of the novel? I won’t spoil it. But she should be handing over her badge for a while; her actions are highly questionable on a number of counts.

6. It’s highly unlikely that Justin, the killer of Natalie’s older sister, would be placed in a supermax facility. Stabbing one’s ex multiple times is a horrible crime, yes, but not one that would demand the extreme isolation of a supermax prison. We’re also told that in the past 19 years, he’s been a model prisoner, received a correspondent’s college degree and tutors other prisoners (in a supermax facility?!), and has become a pen pal through an internet site (again, in a supermax facility?!)
(I wouldn’t make a huge deal about this but Blanchard specifically refers to his prison as a “supermax” prison three times; if she’d called Justin’s location simply a “prison,” there would be no issue.)

Here’s the thing that gets me: all of the information I’ve listed is readily available to anyone. I’m not in law enforcement, nor am I related to anyone in law enforcement, nor do I hang out in the coffee shops and bars favored by cops and eavesdrop on their conversations. (Although that’s an interesting idea.)

But there are expert-written websites and books specifically designed to help writers avoid these types of mistakes. For example, I found the info on bulletproof vests in a Google search that yielded scores of results, including informational sites by manufacturers.

Blanchard doesn't completely ignore all of this. There are parts where it appears that she's done some research into law enforcement and forensics (we get the almost-required-for-this-genre autopsy scene), just not enough. Incidentally, I double and triple checked the things I complained about above, making certain that there wasn't something in the book that I'd overlooked, some loophole that would resolve the issues. Nothing.

If this were a different type of book, one that didn’t focus on a police officer as a protagonist and police procedures, I might be able to overlook some of these things. (Although I'd still be frustrated.) But if one writes a book with a police protagonist, I expect a high level of realism and depth of knowledge about law enforcement. There was so much that didn’t seem realistic that I was repeatedly pulled from the story and couldn’t enjoy it.

Sorry I couldn’t give a better review. I don’t mean to sound unduly harsh, but this was a frustrating book to read. 2.5 stars (The review will appear on my blog on November 11, 2019.)

I really enjoyed this book. It was not what I had expected. There were two mysteries going on in this book. Both evil, full of family secrets, witches, covens, magic and teenage angst. Page turner.
I would give this a 4 out of 5.

This mystery had an extra element of intrigue because of the occult background of the town in which it takes place. It kept me interested and I really appreciated reading a mystery with a female detective lead in which being ostracized by the men in her department is not an element of the novel. The mystery kept me reading, but the reveal felt a bit out of left field. I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book because it is so well written and Natalie is a great protagonist. The novel opens really well setting the backstory of Natalie’s sister’s murder and some explanation of the town. Natalie is a detective and is trying to solve cold cases in her department so we get some information on those. As we are introduced to a few co-workers Natalie finds herself at a brutal crime scene. There are a lot of threads in this novel involving these crimes which keeps the pace quick even though most of the book is really centered on Natalie and her thoughts. There is a lot of references to witches and wicca which I did find overdone. Some of the elements are over the top which feels odd against such a normal backdrop of this very steady by the book cop. I am definitely interested in seeing where this series is going and I really hope it will move away from the wicca angle and focus on more straight forward crimes which would suit the tone of the book better in my opinion. If you enjoy crime fiction this one is worth checking out. I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Trace of Evil is a great thriller and Alice Blanchard has written a sure-fire page turner that will engross you!!

I received Trace Of Evil by Alice Blanchard from Net Gallery in exchange for an honest review.
Natalie Lockhart is a detective who works in a town with a sordid past.
Over the years, missing transients have vanished.
Then, a much loved school teacher is found murdered in her home.
A suspect is uncovered, but is he the right one.
This case has far reaching consequences for Natalie and the town.
An exciting thriller

As a new detective returns to her hometown to follow in her father's footsteps, the tension and unique storyline in Trace of Evil keeps readers enthralled by the inevitable crimes, new and old, that set the tone for this outstanding book. Alice Blanchard gives us the new-to-the-job but not to town detective, setting her right into the middle of her hometown's history of unsolved violent crimes. With her own sister's unsolved death giving her extra determination to find the killer who has haunted her hometown for so long, the twists and turns thrown in this story will keep you guessing. This is truly one of the best new series I've read for awhile.

Trace of Evil by Alice Blanchard was an exciting read! Natalie Lockhart., a female detective, was an exceptional lead character. I can't wait to read more entries in this series. This book had a very ominous feel to it and that added to the suspense. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. (4.5 stars)

TRACE OF EVIL takes place in a small town in New York, called Burning Lake. The town tries to promote its reputation and tourism as being like Salem because it was known to have burned three witches there. Mostly, it’s a sleepy little town where nothing much happens. Except, there is more than a little evil lurking under the surface of the town. Natalie Lockhart is a newly minted detective on the police force and is tasked with finding out what happened to nine people who just vanished, dubbed the “Missing Nine.” In following clues, Natalie discovers a murder of a beloved teacher who had many secrets herself. The writing was mediocre. Although the ending was a surprise, most of the scenes and dialogue were very unrealistic. The plot was drawn out and became kind of “ho-hum’ to me. A lot of background information about the characters was just described in a short time, without really including it in the plot which would have held my interest better. This is the first in a series of books with this character, so fans of mystery with some suspense will enjoy this book and look forward to more in the series. However, the book was just not my cup of tea as it frequently put me to sleep instead of leading me to want to read more.

I had a hard time getting into this book, and I found myself skipping around a bit. The writing was okay, but nothing that really grabbed me. Based on the description, I expected more. Nothing really jumped out at me to make this book special. There were a number of info dumps, which pulled me out of the story. I don’t think it lived up to its potential, and some of the plot points just didn’t seem believable. This is the first in a series, but I doubt I’ll check out the rest of the series.

TRACE OF EVIL has a cold case murder mystery that may incorporate the present. It’s a twisty tale with many subplots that weave a mesmerizing tale. Highly recommended.

This book was just fine. It was a nicely-paced and decently-written police procedural taking place in a small town. I did not see the end coming so there was that. However, I think I might just have had higher hopes than it was able to deliver. I thought the story was just pretty blah and formulaic whereas I expected it to have that something different and special given the presence of the "witch" element. I will not give anything away but the resolution to the larger issue alluded to in the premise (the missing girls case the investigator is working on in addition to the murder case) is completely rushed and a little out of nowhere. This one had so much potential but in the end, it just fell very flat for me.

I named this one one of my most anticipated Fall 2019 new releases. See my others here: http://bookloverspizza.com/book-list-8-fall-new-release-books-i-cant-wait-for-paired-with-hearty-fall-turkey-chili-recipe/

I had a hard time getting through this one because the writing is mediocre. It’s was a paint-by-numbers novel with characters that didn’t come to life because the author relies on info-dumps of telling us a lot of background. I should have liked Detective Natalie Lockhart. She cares about people who have struggled in life because of lack of money or abusive parents, but because I was TOLD she cares about people who’ve had it rough instead of being SHOWN she cares through her actions, she didn’t seem like a real person to me. I know it’s fiction, but in a well-written novel, the characters can seem like real people because they come alive in my imagination.

This is the first of a series of books with Detective Lockhart, who lives in Burning Lake, New York, a city that has seen many people on the fringes of society disappear over the years. Transients, people with drug and alcohol problems, the homeless. Natalie’s own sister was murdered by her boyfriend twenty years ago and now Natalie is investigating the murder of her other sister’s close friend, a woman who had been like another sister to Natalie, the youngest of the three girls.

Sometimes when I read a novel with a detective as the protagonist, I’ll wonder if the author actually worked as a detective herself because the story seems so believable that it’s hard to believe the writer is in fact, just a writer who did a lot of research but has never worked in law enforcement. I didn’t feel that way with this book. Instead I found myself thinking, “hmm, really?” Like when a suspect is given a polygraph, instead of yes/no answers to yes/no questions, he gives an interview. Granted, I only know this stuff from movies, but it didn’t seem accurate. Also, the dialogue is not good. The daughter addresses her mother with the word “mom” in every sentence, which is simply not how people talk in real life.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, which RELEASES DECEMBER 3, 2019.

This was a great mystery! I really enjoyed the twists and turns of this story taking place in upstate New York. Detective Natalie Lockhart was a complex character, trying to solve a crime that has plagued their town for years, as well as manage the death of her sisters friend. A great story mixed with witchcraft, murder and betrayal. I look forward to seeing what Blanchard has in store for Detective Lockhart next! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Beautifully woven story that not only drops your jaw, but tugs at your heart. I am SO thankful that I had the opportunity to read this ARC! Thank you NetGalley and Alice Blanchard