In the fourth book in the Stillhouse Lake series Gwen is working as a PI.  She is investigating a cold case of a young college student’s disappearance three years ago,who seems to be the victim of a religious cult.As Gwen starts unraveling the truth she ends up putting her family and her life in danger as the threat is much closer than she'd anticipated.

Bitter Falls is an action packed fourth book in the Stillhouse Lake series by Rachel Caine. Told from different family member’s POV’s it's a fast paced thriller  full of suspense and tension. Cannot wait to see where the Proctors land up next!

I would like to thank Thomas Mercer & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this addition to the Stillhouse Lake series. I am highly anticipating the next novel. Rachel Caine has a way with thrillers. After the story of Gwen's husband ending I wondered where this series could possibly go, but I am so incredibly happy Rachel has continued the story of these characters.

I truly love this series. It has turned out to be a top favorite mystery series for me, and this book was every bit as good as the previous ones.

I enjoyed being back in the world of Gwen and Sam, along with her kids, Lanny and Connor. I like that Gwen has translated her horrible background into being an efficient investigator. Her assignment in this book starts with the investigation into a missing boy, and spirals into more, bringing danger to Gwen and her loved ones.

I was spellbound by this story and glad to be reading about these great characters. I hated the way they were treated by some, and really hoped for everything to turn out well for them. This was a great read, and I highly recommend it to mystery lovers.

Terrific book. Absolutely loved it. Compelling characters and story line. Kept me interested the entire time.

It’s a solid follow-up, but it’s become apparent that none of Caine’s sequels will capture the same magic for me that “Stillhouse Lake” did. It seems as if the protagonist is now going out of her way to find trouble as opposed to being a victim of circumstance. After all her and her family have been through in the three previous books, it seems a bit far fetched. It’s for that reason in addition to there being a lessened emotional tie for me, that I rate this book as 3/5 stars ⭐️.

This is an awesome series and I loved this installment. The plot was very good and kept me captivated all the way to the spectacular end. Though not totally believable, the book was very enjoyable!
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Bitter Falls
Stillhouse Lake, Book 4

I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.

The Characters:

Gwen Proctor:
Sam Cade:
Lanny Procter, Conner Procter, Vera “Vee” Crockett, Carol, J.B., Javier, Kezia

The Story:

Gwen cut off the head of the snake in Wolfhunter River, she was just unaware that this snake has multiple heads.

Ms Caine has graced us with another well written twisty plot. Not only does she write incredible heroines but also excellent love to hate villains. I should also say heros because Conner, Sam and even Javier are fantastic in these stories. I started off reading this a little slowly. I was very shocked by the prologue and avoided reading at home late at night (when I tend to read) for a while but by the end I couldn't put it down. Who needs sleep, right?

I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for this family. I honestly can’t imagine Ms Caine topping this installment.

The Random Thoughts:

(view spoiler)



4.5 Stars

Another great book in the Stillhouse Lake series. I can’t seem to put down these books. Each book continues the original story but also somehow keeps things fresh. I hope there’s another book in the series.

Gwen Proctor is at it again in the 4th installment of the Stillhouse Lake series. This time, her work as a PI has her investigating the mysterious disappearance of a young man from Knoxville. Remy Landry vanished virtually without a trace from a bar, and hasn't been seen in three years. Gwen has been hired to find Remy, or so she thinks. However, as she begins to investigate, she begins to realize that this case is quite possibly more complex than she initially thought. It does not appear that Remy is the one who they want found, but rather a young lady who he was seen with. But why? And who has even hired Gwen to help?
Gwen's investigations lead her to the possibility of a religious cult operating in the area. Other young men were also found to be missing from the area. Could all of the disappearances be related? Does a local cult actually exist, and if so, what do they want? And can Gwen find out in time, all the while keeping her family safe?
Exciting and enjoyable read. Gwen remains a likable protagonist as she investigates the dark side of the Tennessee countryside where she lives. Always thrilling, albeit a little farfetched in the end. I would still recommend if you have read and enjoyed the other Stillhouse books.

This series continues to be sensational and I cannot get enough of it. Rachel Caine is a talented author who draws you right into this gritty, gripping story and even if you wanted to, you can’t look away. Gwen Proctor is probably one of my favorite characters ever. I’ll admit I was a little concerned after the first three books which really seemed to wrap up a huge part of Gwen’s saga, and left me wondering where Caine would take the character next, and if it could ever possibly be as good as the first three books were. Well, I shouldn’t have doubted because this fourth book was just as fantastic, thrilling, scary, and mysterious as the others and of course, left me wanting more. I love that Gwen is a private detective now. It suits her and she’s good at it, and it opens the series up to all sorts of new areas. I’m hoping this series continues for a long time because I feel like Gwen Proctor has many more adventures and dangers to navigate, and I will be right here reading along for all of them.

I love Rachel Caine, she is an amazing storyteller. I have enjoyed this series all the way though. The first 2 books in the series are my favorite, but I was eager to read this as well as I have such a connection with the main characters. I did not know how the story could continue or what would happen but the author did such a good job of tying the previous books into this one. The reason for three stars is I felt the ending was just wrapped up too quickly, I would have liked it to have had 50 more pages and gone into better detail of the event that was happening. One just keeps wondering how much more can this family endure, I would love a follow up with them living happily!

I think when you get to a third or fourth book in a series, sometimes it can feel like okay, what now? How many bad things can happen to one family?

Sometimes I start to feel that way about this series, BUT I’m still here for it! I actually loved the addition of the Belldenes and their hillbilly, drug pedaling clan. And then the cult! I’m always up for a cult story.

I felt like it wasn’t QUITE as good as the first two so I couldn’t give it five stars, but I did love this installment. Count me in for the next one!

Thank you netgalley and publisher for the early copy.

I won't be continuing the series but I still recommend checking it out.

Rachel Caine continues to amaze me. I love following Gwen Proctor, Sam, and the kids on their journey. I love that Gwen is a private detective and that she continues to be a strong character. The first two books are more suspenseful but the trade off is great character building. It takes a lot for me to stay with a series but for me, this one really works. I am obsessed with this series and definitely recommend you start with book one. BITTER FALLS is even better than the last book which is always a good sign. READ THIS SERIES!

Bitter Falls brings us back into the world of Gwen Proctor and her family. Gwen is now working for a PI firm and takes on jobs in her area. She is called in to investigate a cold case, the disappearance of a college student three years earlier. As she delves deeper into Remy's disappearance, she uncovers information that ties back to events revealed in Wolfhunter River. What starts off as a simple missing person, pulls not only Gwen, but Sam and her kids into a dangerous situation, with another psychopath having them on his radar.

Gwen is still a kickass, tough mama, but this book didn't have the same pull for me. In the previous books, she was protecting her family, now she is putting her life on the line for others. Don't get me wrong, it is still a good story, just not as good as the first three. In this story, Gwen and Sam have decided to live together and put down roots as a family. The kids are having a tough go at school. They really don't have any friends and the local drug family wants them to relocate. I felt for her kids. They had done nothing wrong, yet were paying the price for their father's crimes. We also meet up with Vee, who has run away from her foster home and ended up looking for Lanny. She is still a wildcard in this story, causing problems, but then jumping in to try and save the day. Overall, Bitter Falls is a riveting, dark, fast-paced, high intensive story. I like that it kept me glued to the page until the story was over, but it was over the top with all the non-stop, life-threatening danger to characters. For a mom who wants to keep her children safe at all costs, Gwen sure does a lot of stuff that puts them in danger. So, I am going to give this one 4 stars because I did enjoy it, but I am not sure if this is a series that I will continue with, if that makes sense.

Bitter Falls is the fourth book in the Stillhouse Lake series and continues the story of Gwen Proctor, Sam Cade, and Gwen's children Lanny and Connor. Gwen is a woman who has stared into the abyss and clearly the abyss both stared back and sank its hooks into her life.

Now that Gwen's serial killer ex-husband Melvin Royal is finally out of their lives for good, Gwen, Sam, Lanny and Connor think they may be able to settle into enjoying a normal life in Stillhouse Lake. Most of the town hates them, but they're used to being hated and ostracized and they finally feel less openly hunted. But of course, nothing is ever quite normal in Gwen's world. Familiar with the dark underbellies of human existence, she's been working as a PI and her current case is investigating the disappearance of Remy Landry, a college kid who mysteriously vanished from a night out with his friends three years ago and is still missing. As Gwen digs into the mystery of what happened to Remy, the case turns out not to be what she expected and danger is lurking for her and her family at every turn.

Bitter Falls is another spectacular chapter in the story of Gwen Proctor and her family. Rachel Caine is a master of the taut, tension-filled thriller and has a talent for creating unexpectedly terrifying villains. I highly recommend the entire Stillhouse Lake series to fans of thrillers.

Bitter Falls is the fourth book in the Stillhouse Lake series. The series follows Gwen, who survived being married to a serial killer and has been the subject of public and media hatred in the aftermath.

Each book in this series has been a total page turner for me, and this one was no different- I couldn’t put it down. In Bitter Falls, there are a few storylines happening simultaneously, but I didn’t find it confusing or hard to follow. This book follows Gwen’s new career as a Private Investigator (which quite obviously leaves the door open for more books in the series- perfect!!!) and the case that she is currently trying to solve.

The case in question involves a fundamentalist “Christian” cult, and that subject matter is right up my alley, so it especially appealed to me. In the background you also have the storylines of Gwen’s partner and children, and some characters from the previous books are involved as well. The plot thickens as the book continues, building suspense as it goes. By the end, I basically shirked all of my household responsibilities so I could finish the book and find out what happened!! Any book that hooks me this much gets 5 stars from me.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Holy Smokes! Bitter Falls is a fast-paced, action-packed and twisty thriller that will leave you with a bad case of wanting to get to the next in this brilliant series. Bitter Falls surpasses all previous marks and according to me is the best book in this series! I super loved this book!

Despite her notoriety among trolls and vindictive people, Gwen is trying hard to build a home for herself and her kids. Together with Sam, they've build a home and a unit stronger than anything else. So when their newfound happiness is once again threatened, Gwen and Sam need to make a difficult decision - give in to the bullies and move or stay strong and keep fighting. With their lives at stake, this is not an easy decision to make so Gwen takes up an assignment about a missing young man to give her time to think.
Three years missing, no clues Remi Landry leaves behind, a tortured mother & father in limbo. Gwen's investigation takes her to the heart of an evil group that don't hesitate to kill. With an insane and diabolical leader at the helm, the Assembly have been disrupting and destroying innocent lives of many through mental conditioning. Gwen soon finds herself face to face with evil and his fanatic followers and now she's inadvertently put everyone she loves at risk? Can Gwen win this fight?

Gwen Proctor is a badass character and I'm as always, simply amazed by her. With her turbulent past and relationship with a serial killer she never could redeem herself in the public's eye. Evil by association is what they assumed, leaving her and her children to fight a trial by media every single day of their lives. I'm loving how her character is shaping up to be, and also her kids. All the three Proctors who could never leave their infamy behind seem to be a magnet for evil. Their penchant for doing the right thing often is the leading cause for landing them in a soup. And I love reading about that struggle going on their head when faced with a difficult decision, it makes everything seems so realistic. I love everything about this book, its plot and characters- the action, drama, suspense and most of all the sensitivity. Despite some expected & correctly-guessed outcomes, I enjoyed reading this book. I cannot wait to hold the next one in my hands!

Thank You NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer & Rachel Caine for an arc!

This genre can be hit or miss for me because I can get annoyed fairly easy by plot holes, inconsistencies, and all around ridiculousness that tends to plague it. With that said, I enjoy this series and am always impressed with how well written each book continues to be. This was smartly written and realistic, despite how crazy it can seem. It’s a crazy world.

I literally can't get enough of this series, so I was ecstatic to receive the eARC of Bitter Falls. Cults, murders, thrills - the 4th book in the series really has it all.

It was a bit slower than the other three in the series, but I was okay with that. It gives you a little time to catch your breath and just enjoy the writing.

I'm going to keep this review short to avoid spoilers, but go check it out if you are a fan of the mystery/thriller genre!