Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Snow Creek by Gregg Olsen. I really like Olsen's writing style. He has an ability to bring strong female characters into the mix and is not afraid to take risks. This is a series book and the lead detective is a female. This is a character driven police procedural with a strong plot and great visual writing.
Liked it - 3.5 stars

Not bad for a first book of the series. The case itself is compelling enough to arouse curiosity, and turn page after page dying to know who, why and how.
It is the detective’s own case to have a weak reflection upon the most important point of her life. I could not feel the great significance of it despite it being solely built for the entire series. Which is a pretty big deal in order to support Detective Carpenter in the next book.
Aside from it, Snow Creek has all there is to have in a crime fiction- suspense, confusion, cold-blooded murders, mystery etc. The characters of Snow Creek display the kinds of people living in this world with a mask of their own; some with corrupt history, some with wicked history and some with history of confidentiality best left alone.
I would recommend it to all the readers who love crime fiction with a hint of psychological thriller!
I hope that the next book would turn Carpenter’s personal life with a solid narration, enough to leave us with a reader’s block.
Thanks so much to Gregg Olsen and Bookouture for this advanced digital review copy, would love to read more from the writer!

What a great opening book to a new series! I love a good police procedural & this one fits the bill. There's lots of twists that I didn't see coming & then there's Megan's back story. I can't believe that the book ended where it did - what a cliffhanger! I really enjoyed this book & can't wait for the next one!

Detective Megan Carpenter is working on a missing persons report of a couple from Snow Creek, a secluded area where people want to be left alone and live life off the radar. The book moves between her investigation and her intriguing childhood which will be an ongoing storyline running through to the next book. A good start to the series I am interested to find out more about Megan’s life before she became a detective.

SNOW CREEK by Gregg Olsen is the first book in a new series featuring Detective Megan Carpenter and largely set in and around Port Townsend and Snow Creek, Washington. The novel is a police procedural with a lot of suspense.

The story begins with an interesting hook and never lets up. Then Ruth Turner meets with Detective Megan Carpenter and claims her sister has been missing for over a month. Megan believes that an investigation is warranted and finds Ida’s teenage children alone and worried in their secluded farmhouse above Snow Creek. When a body is found a few days later, Megan works to identify and catch the killer. But more is going on that meets the initial eye. Additionally, Megan is still coping with secrets from her childhood when she had a different name. Can she cope with her memories and still solve a murder?

The characters are compelling as well as memorable and Megan is definitely someone you can cheer for. Her character feels real and three-dimensional. She is likeable and relatable. The secondary characters are well-rounded and the relationships are believable.

This book is fast faced and I did not want to stop reading it even when it was very late and I needed to sleep. The author does a great job of worldbuilding and gives the reader a vivid sense of the place and people of Snow Creek. The plot is complex with several different story lines. The main plot as well as many of the auxiliary story lines are wrapped up with some twists and shocks. However, there are a few open items that will likely play into future books in the series.

This is the only book that I have read by this author but I am looking forward to the next book in the series. What a great start to a new series. It is fresh and unique. I believe those readers that enjoy crime fiction and police procedurals with a little something extra will enjoy this book.

Many thanks to Bookouture and Gregg Olsen for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

I’ve heard good things about this author before, so when I saw this book available from NetGalley I immediately requested it and was super excited when I received my approval and advanced reviewer copy. I enjoyed this book even more than I’d hoped I would. I read it fairly quickly because I couldn’t put it down and just had to know what was going to happen next. The fast pace and great writing and so many things popping up along the way kept me turning the pages and lapping up the story. This book has the bonus of being the first in a new series. I’m definitely going to read the next book whenever it comes out. I do recommend this book to my fellow crime novel fans.

Thank you #NetGalley and #Bookouture for this ARC opportunity.

Thanks #netgalley, for the opportunity to read one of my fave authors new books in advance and it did not disappoint. From page 1 the story gripped me and as this plot unravels its clear things are not at all as the initially seemed. I can not wait for the next one in this series!!
Fast Paced, suspenseful and down right frightening at times... this book is a must read!!

This was the first book I'd read by Gregg Olsen, and overall, I was very pleased with it. I love a book that builds slowly, and this one had questions galore! I was kept guessing all the way through. The cover makes a lot of sense by the end of the story. There were a couple of subplots happening while the main mystery was being investigated, which added to my enjoyment. All the characters were unique and stuck out for reasons all their own. Each of them was memorable, and everyone had a secret. Because that's what we expect from mysteries.

The book had an underlying storyline that really had me guessing and tied up with a hefty wallop that I didn't see coming. All I can say about it without giving anything away is WOW! The main plot also tied up with an ending I definitely did not see coming. So far, it was a very satisfying read. A five-star.
But...
(You saw that coming, right?)
But the book closed with one unresolved question, and for me, that took the rating down a star.
That being said, the book had amazing writing, wonderful worldbuilding and characters that must have been taken from real life they were so vivid and well-written.

I would absolutely read more by Gregg Olsen!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Megan Carpenter is a detective in a very small sheriff's office in Port Townsend where she spends most of her time investigating domestic crimes including a missing dog! So when a woman travels across country to report her sister missing it seems only slightly different from what Megan's used to until she begins to look a little closer.

Snow Creek is a beautiful but isolated location where no cell phone reception and very little community spirit are the accepted norm amongst those living off grid in the area. It was where Ida Watson, her husband and children called home until she disappeared. Gradually Megan begins to unravel the confusion surrounding Ida's last know movements and then a body is found.

This is a deceptively simple book, at least to start with. Seen from various points of view the way of life in Snow Creek is interspersed with the first person account of Megan's investigation and personal life as she begins to see parallels with her own past.

It is to Mr Olsen's credit that there doesn't ever seem to be a noticeable increase of tension but it is there nonetheless and as everything begins to come together the killer's identity is revealed as just one in a series of shocks some of which I have no doubt will be taken on into the second book in this excellent new series. Not least of these is the past Megan keeps hidden away from all but a trusted few, the little revealed so far hint at worse to come and I for one can't wait to find out more.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it highly to anyone who enjoys first class crime writing from an ever improving author. This book delivers on all levels.

After reading the 1st couple of chapters, I wasn't quite sure where it was going. There were several different story lines going on and the connection hadn't been made yet. After getting through more of the book, I realized that a few of the story lines were just for setting, location, and character development.

With that being said, once I got into it ... I have to say I enjoyed it. Not a wow factor but definitely a series I will continue to read. I look forward to seeing how Megan develops and learning more about her past and how it will impact her future.

3.5/5

Thank you #netgalley and #bookouture for the eARC.

Snow Creek is my first book by Gregg Olsen but it will definitely not be my last. From the very first page I was trying to put all the pieces together of semi-dual timeline. When a woman comes in to report her sister missing Detective Megan Carpenter is not only drawn into the case but also is thrown back into her troublesome childhood. The writing not only draws you into the missing person case but also into the past of Megan and her family. While I did see most of the twists coming, I would still highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good police procedural show. The ending will leave you wanting the next book to come out NOW.

Full disclosure: I am a sucker for a good crime series and police procedural. They’re my go-to reads if I’m ever in a reading slump. When I saw Gregg Olsen was releasing the first in a new crime series I couldn’t resist checking it out as I loved the book I read by him a few months ago. Boy am I glad I did! Snow Creek is a fast-paced, jaw-dropping, twisty and utterly addictive thriller that I devoured in just a few hours. A thriller lover’s dream, it will consume you and leave you breathless.

Ruth Turner walks into the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to report her sister Ida Wheaton missing. Detective Megan Carpenter decides to do a welfare check rather than just file a report. When she arrives at the secluded house in the hills above Snow Creek she finds Ida’s two teenage children, Joshua and Sarah. They say that their parents went on a mission trip to Mexico but after making calls it becomes clear they never arrived in Mexico and Ida and Merritt Wheaton are missing.

When a woman’s charred body is found in an abandoned car the mystery of Ida’s whereabouts is solved. With Merritt missing and Sarah telling the Detective that her father was abusive, Megan has her prime suspect. The race is on to find Merrick and bring Ida’s killer to justice. But as further evidence is uncovered Megan starts to wonder if they’ve been focusing on the wrong person and someone else could be their killer...

This is my second read by Gregg Olsen and has secured my love of his writing. Both books were nail-biting and showed that he knows how to pack a punch, bringing shocking twists and turns at unexpected moments. There were so many in this book I got book whiplash. And OMG that ending! I wanted to scream in frustration when I realised that was the final page. I need the second installment now!

For any crime series to succeed you need a good protagonist and Detectie Megan Carpenter certainly fits that bill for me. She was likeable, relatable and absolutely fascinating. Her past is shrouded in mystery, with parts of it slowly being unveiled over the course of the book as she listens to the tape from her counselling sessions with Doctor Albright thirteen years ago. The shocking revelations made me love this character all the more and I think the author has written one of the most intriguing and compelling protagonists of a series that I’ve read. She was the best character in the book and I can’t wait to learn more about her dark secrets and shadowy past.

I would highly recommend Snow Creek to anyone who enjoys crime fiction, thrillers and domestic noir. This is a book you don’t want to miss!

Thank you to Bookoture and NetGalley for my copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I greatly appreciate this opportunity as I love Olsen's work and was very excited to read this.

I must admit that although I am a huge supporter and lover of Olsen's work, this was not one of my favourites. I think it's a first time for me that by having read previous works from the author, I have been put at a disadvantage while reading.

Before this book, I had read his other work 'Run' which followed Rylee to whom I realised this story was following, in her new life as a detective. This was not mentioned as a lead on of that story, so, when introduced to her old name and lifestyle from the character's recollections, I was a bit confused until I finally remembered reading the other story.

This discovery for me and the use of the tapes to recall her past made me feel as if the book was dragging on as I had known most of this information from the other text. Although we do discover some other parts of her past that I don't recall being in the last work, I still personally believed that most of the character's listening to the tape recordings were unnecessary (but this is only if you have read the other book before this one, in my opinion).

If I hadn't have read 'Run' before this I would have definitely enjoyed the book more, and although I am slightly disappointed in my lack of interest in this story, I will continue to support and read Olsen's work as I strongly believe he is a brilliant writer.

Apart from what I have mentioned, I do believe that this was an excellent detective novel and I can't wait to see when it leads to next.

I was conflicted on what to rate this book. While I enjoyed this book and would like the read the sequel, there were an number of unnecessary aspects to the plot that drew away from the main story line. I also didn’t like that there were lots of unanswered questions at the end of the book. Generally, I thought it was well written and kept me engaged throughout the book. I’d recommend this book to anyone who doesn’t mind cliff hangers at the end of a book.

What a fantastic start to a the new series Detective Megan Carpenter.

It's dark, its compelling, you will cringe and you will turn the pages quickly.

Megan herself has a very troubling background that you only start to discover as she listens to her tapes from her psychiatrist.

Twists and turns; pay attention or you will miss them approaching.

Great read !

Can't wait to see what Megan does next !!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to meet Megan Carpenter !!

Brilliant! I do believe this is the best book by this author to date. The book is dark, intense, and makes you say oh he##. The storyline flows and the characters are intriguing. I read this in one sitting and can't wait for more.

Wow, I absolutely loved this book! Gregg Olsen is an amazing author. Snow Creek is definitely one of the best books I have read this year. I read it every chance I had. I really liked Detective Megan Carpenter, she is a strong and intelligent woman and a cracking police officer. Can't wait for the next book in this series. Snow Creek is such an unusual story with lots of different plots and storylines. It's thrilling and creepy and it grabs your attention right away. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture and Gregg Olsen for the opportunity to read this amazing book.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author, Gregg Olsen, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of Snow Creek in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Well, I certainly wasn't expecting this. I was hooked from the start.
The storyline flowed really well with very intriguing characters. Honestly think this is the best novel the author has written to date. Certainly can't wait for more.
Well worth a read.

I enjoyed this book. Characters were well developed and the storyline flowed. This is my first novel by this author, but I will be looking for more in the future.

Detective Megan Carpenter, with the Port Townsend Police Department, continues to deal with the tragic events of her past. When Megan takes a report from the sister of a missing couple, she finds that the couple never arrived at their destination. Arriving at the home, she finds their older children living by themselves. Searching the area, she locates a pickup truck that has gone down in to a ravine. If this is the missing couple, why is there only one body found in the truck? When it looks as if the woman was killed prior to the crash, Megan now has a homicide investigation with no witnesses and no evidence. The author explains the various unique characters and their lives so that this complex story becomes easier to follow. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)