A story all its own Big Bad was something I haven't quite read before, yet the familiarity was there. A mix of mystery, thriller, and horror we are met in a small New England town of Rockcliffe. Its own private island of secrets to be uncovered by ex FBI agent Emma Shane who’s sister Molly was found dead under suspicious circumstances during the Islands worst snowstorm in 10 years. This novel will yank you by your arm and pull you into its dark twisting shadows until you uncover the truth of what really happened to Molly.
This was my first experience reading something from Christian Galacar who is mad brilliant. I plan on reading plenty more of whatever he plans on putting out next just because of how much I enjoyed reading “Big Bad”. It was unlike any Mystery/Thriller I have read in such a long time. I was in the car with my husband and there was a shocking moment where I literally had to put the book down. My poor husband thought something was wrong but I just got so emotionally locked into Emma and Molly’s story that I needed a moment to process. There were several of those moments for me in this and I think that is so important when finding a good book that it reality checks you like that.
Also the twists and turns in “Big Bad” were crazy! Talking about maybe knowing what's going on then BAM something throws you for a loop. I can only imagine Christian in his house with his wall covered with paper ideas and strings to connect this story together like he did and I highly commend him for that. On that note I leave this review breathless, wondering why you are still reading this and not reading “Big Bad”. Thank you so much NetGalley for send me a copy of this gem. It was amazing!

Side note: I have gotten my mother reading this now, I’ll update with her thoughts when she's done.

A great, twisting and turning thriller with strong characters and an interesting setting. It's difficult to say much about the plot other than it will keep you guessing and keeps building the stakes and the tension until the end, and wraps up in a genuinely satisfying way. Definitely a cut above other crime books out there. Be warned, though, the story isn't afraid to go to some dark places. I'm off to look at his other books!

Ok ,liked our heroine ,she was determined focused and wouldn’t give up ,and enjoyed the taxi driver ,and her relationship . It was well described the past and I felt their fear and trepidation as children
Writing this review I wonder for me what was off and I think it’s just personal preference
Got a bit action like at the end which I understand just went on a bit too long for me and I skipped the pages as guessed all would wrap up
Ok not a psychological thriller more a action thriller .
Thanks netgalley and publishers letting me read this advanced copy

This book was wild. I had a lot of fun reading it.

Big Bad has a lot of things going for it. The author does a great job of creating a tension and dread throughout the whole book that feels intense and immersive. I loved the main character and thought that her choices made sense and felt relatable and authentic, I rooted for her. The atmosphere of the Island is described in eerie detail and made this book feel tangible and present. I will definitely be looking for more by this author in the future.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this e-book. Big Bad is the first book I have read by Christian Galacar and it will not be my last. This book is a mystery with many different twists. It keeps going back in time to when two sisters (Emma & Molly) were growing up and to the present on a small island in the eastern coast. The writer keeps you in suspence throught the entire book with the reader trying to figure out how everthing ties together. I was hooked from the first page and stayed hooked till the end. An excellent read. I will now look for other books by Christian who I hope brings Emma back. A 5 plus novel for me.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Big Bad is a dark Thriller that captivates you right from the beginning. Emma is an FBI agent who has been on extended leave when she hears her sister Molly has been killed. Emma goes to the small town of Rockliffe Island to investigate Molly’s death. Despite pushback from the Chief of Police and other town figures, as well as demons from her own past, Emma searches for truth for Molly and herself.

The characters are well written and jump off the page. Emma’s father is truly frightening and Guppy the taxi driver is solid and dependable. The book is a little long but is well written and takes the reader on a journey that s thrilling, but also touching and horrifying at the same time.

Loved this book. Had this on my Halloween TBR and it did not disappoint. Mystery and creepy. Great for a cozy reading night on the sofa.

Second book I've read by Christian Galacar, but definitely not the last. He switched gears and went the thriller/ suspense route this time instead of the supernatural/ horror of the previous novel. And guess what... it's just as stunning as Gilchrist was. I absolutely loved it. Ok Christian... I'm ready for another book!!!

I loved it! There was a brilliant mystery about the two sisters, I was so intrigued to know what was happening, why it was happening and how.

There were some really quite disturbing parts when we are finding out what happened to the sisters when they were younger, and the part with their father and the photographs really gave me chills.

I will definitely be reading everything from Christian Galacar after this book.

Emma and Molly were just two little girls. There mother loved and cared for them and their father adored their mother. Their lives would have been normal, except their mom died. Their dad stopped taking his medication and his schizophrenia returned in full force. The girls pretty much took care of themselves. Their father hunted deer and offered them as a sacrifice to the altar where he had placed their mother's ashes. Things got worse, indescribably worse. This is the time that Molly called the Big Bad. It was, it was horrific it was traumatic.
Molly got married and had a wonderful little boy, Emma became an FBI agent.
When Emma gets the call that Molly has committed suicide, she knows she has to go to the island and find out exactly what happened. She didn't expect to find a small town full of crime. She didn't know that not only would her sister be dead but many others as well. All she knows is that this town is crooked and the officials running it are even more so.
Strong characters, great storyline!

I discovered Christian Gal;acar a couple of years ago and read everything he had written. Then I eagerly awaited his next novel, checking netgalley every few days to see if Galacar had a new novel. At long last, success! BIG BAD is a fabulous read and different from Galacar's other works in that there is little that is supernatural here. But the story is an excellent whodunit with well drawn characters and a heck of a plot. And if you read it when it's snowing, it will have even more of an impact. Can't wait for the next one. Oh, and if you like Galacar, try Aric Davis. He writes about life and the supernatural in a similar way.

Big Bad is one of the best Mystery Thrillers I've read so far, a brilliant read that had me gripped from the very beginning. Set within a small community where everyone thinks they know everyone and during a very bad snow storm. I was completely engrossed in the story of Emma and Molly the main characters, as Emma recalls her childhood growing up with Molly while investigating what has happened. Every page is packed with detail that I could imagine being there watching it all unfold, and it was like that to the very last page. This is the first book I've read by Christian Galacar but I will definitely be reading more of his books in the future and highly recommend this to everyone who likes a good mystery and a book that you just can't put down until the last page has been read.

A satisfying dark mystery/thriller. Galacar certainly isn't afraid to push boundaries when it comes to violence and other disturbing content. The story weaves together two the part and present perfectly, slowly revealing dark and brutal childhood of Emma, a former FBI agent, as she attempts to unravel the mystery behind her sister's recent death.

"Most things aren't black and white, good versus evil. It's never that clear a line."

I'm sitting here trying to slow my pulse and relax a minute after being glued to my reading chair for a couple of hours just devouring this book. Trying to think up new superlatives to describe what a suspenseful and thrilling story this turned out to be. Simply working out a way to encourage you to read it and to describe it without giving anything important away.

I can say that the main character is a former FBI agent, Emma Shane, whose currently on an extended leave after she was shot during a case. This woman is totally kick-ass but also very complex emotionally due to her traumatic childhood. She travels to Rockcliffe, an island out in the Atlantic Ocean off the NE coast of the USA after she is notified of her sister's suicide. Molly Rifkin is a couple of years younger than Emma and was married with a 9-year-old son. Her body is found in a storage locker during a heavy winter storm and the police find no evidence of foul play. Emma really doesn't get along with Molly's husband, Jack, but she goes there anyway because she can't believe her sister would have committed suicide. What follows is a very complex plot with many fabulous characters that will be hard to forget. NO SPOILERS

The writing was superb and the descriptions of Rockcliffe so vivid that I could almost imagine myself there experiencing every bit of the action. I've never read any of this author's previous books and was was a bit hesitant to try this but am so glad I did. I'll definitely be looking for more and I totally wish that Mr. Galacar would continue using Emma in another thriller. What a fabulous movie this would make.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-book ARC to read and review. Don't miss it!

This is a great mystery thriller, that keeps you on edge and guessing until the vary end. I loved the main character, Emma. Dispute being troubled by her past and current grief of losing her sister, she proves to be a skilled investigator driven to solve the mystery of her sister’s death. The book’s setting of Rockcliffe Island gives a sense of dread throughout with so many secrets and shady characters. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a suspenseful read filled with twists along the way. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced review copy.