After a week of celebrations for Halloween in Burning Lake, volunteers prepare for a massive clean-up effort.  Among them is Detective Natalie Lockhart, who expects streets clogged with bags of trash but not a body in the dumpster.  Other than scraped knees there are no other visible injuries or an obvious cause of death.  Natalie observes a callus under the chin and on the fingers of one hand, a result of hours of practice with a violin.  Examination of the dumpster’s contents give a name to their Jane Doe.  She is Morgan Chambers, a recent graduate of a music conservatory in a nearby town.  

Morgan had dreams of joining an orchestra but was unable to find a position.  She entered the annual music competition in Burning Lake hoping to draw attention to her talent.  Natalie traces her path to several bars as well as a party held by Hunter Rose, a wealthy member of the community.  Videos obtained from shops in town also show Morgan entering an alley where the dumpster was located but no one else is seen entering or leaving the alley.  Natalie is forced to question several people that had contact with Morgan in the hours leading to her death, but they have also played roles in Natalie’s life.  A past relationship with Hunter and the discovery that her own doctor had treated Morgan and became her friend provide uncomfortable moments in her investigation.  The question of a serial killer arises when a second student from the conservatory who had a similar appearance to Morgan and studied violin was reported missing. 

Natalie had previously been involved in a brutal murder investigation and is also dealing with the death of her sister.  As she deals with her grief she has pushed away or lost the support of the people closest to her.  Only now is she realizing that it is time to come to terms with her loss.  Help finally comes in the end from an unexpected source.  Burning Lake is the town where Natalie grew up and she is familiar with many of the residents.  When she finally discovers the person responsible for Morgan’s death it makes you consider how well you truly know the people in your life.  Alice Blanchard presents a mystery that will keep you guessing and characters that you will look forward to seeing again in the future.  I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of this book for my review.

Right from the start, the story has an eerie and haunting vibe to it. It kicks off with Halloween! I am so here for it. 

We follow Natalie as she investigates a murder, all while dealing with grief she’s been carrying around from previous events. The pacing of the story was great. We had all kinds of interesting characters. I really had no clue who could be the suspect. I was along for the ride. I have to mention that this is book two in a series. I felt it could have been helpful to read book one prior to this. There are certain events and characters that are mentioned and we as the reader don’t know what has happened. That being said, this was a really great read despite not having read book one. I was engaged and the twists kept me guessing. I was surprised at that ending. Bravo Miss Blanchard! 

This is my first book by this author and I will definitely be looking for book one! I really enjoyed her writing style. This is a fabulous start to the series and now I am a huge fan of Natalie Lockhart. More please! I give this 4 stars.

This was the perfect read for fall.  The second book in the Natalie Lockhart series begins on Halloween in Burning Lake, a town known to have a “witchy” history.  The setting was perfect for the story.

After the big celebration on Halloween night, a young woman’s body is discovered in a dumpster.  Natalie is immediately on the case as she tracks down clues to find out who the woman is and what happened to her just hours before.

I enjoyed this second book in the series much more than the first.  Although I thought there were a few loose ends left, I am hoping that Alice Blanchard will address those in her next Natalie Lockhart book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is book two in the Detective Natalie Lockhart series. I really enjoyed the first book and it is best if you read that book before diving into this one. It's been six months since the events of the first book happened and Natalie is still grieving. She is barely sleeping or eating and just getting by.

When a body of a young female is found in a dumpster the day after Halloween, Natalie has a new case to solve. I enjoyed the case and the all the suspects. I really didn't care for how Natalie kept remembering her friend, Bella, throughout the whole book. For me, it took away from the current case she was trying to solve.

I like how Natalie seemed to realize what she wanted in life in this book. (a family, children). I didn't think the scenes with Luke showed any potential in this book, which was really depressing. She invited him in and he shut her down! And the ending...totally out in left field. Never saw that coming and not sure how I feel about it. I do know that there had better be a third book now!

I really enjoyed THE WICKED HOUR by @aliceblanchard.author , the second book in her Natalie Lockhart series. Thanks so much to @netgalley and @minotaur_books  for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review! This one publishes tomorrow, December 1!

I would recommend reading the first book, Trace of Evil before this one, and The Wicked Hour talks about a murder that happened in TOE, that plays a heavy role in the main character, Natalie and how she goes through life now. 

This book starts with the Halloween celebrations, which is a big deal in the town of Burning Lake. All the cops are out to monitor all the parties, especially after what happened earlier in the year. The next day, the town starts cleaning up as al lithe tourists that have been here for a month, have gone back home. One person, finds a dead girl in a dumpster. So Natalie has her next big case and is back in the spotlight. After IDing the dead girl, Natalie realizes this case hits a little close to home. The dead girl was a violinist, and Natalie had s childhood friend who was also a violinist, but then vanished the night of their high school graduation. Never to be seen again. Natalie can’t help thinking if her friend, as she dives headfirst into her current case. It’s imperative that she solves this case quickly, as Burning Lake doesn’t need their busiest time of year to get a bad rep. True to her skill and word, Natalie chases every lead, one of which is a very surprising suspect. But the real suspect, is even more surprising, same with his motives for why he killed not one but two missing young violinist players.

While I did really enjoy being back in the witchy world of Burning Lake, I enjoyed Trace of Evil a tad more. I wanted more witchy-ness! The murder investigation was really well done, Natalie really left no stone unturned. I also really enjoyed seeing Natalie’s growth, as she slowly comes to terms with her own grief. The mystery aspect was slightly lower than what I wanted, after reading TOE, but still enjoyable and I truly did not suspect the murderer at the end! Also, the ending was a bit of a wild ride, and full on creepy at times! 

My rating: 📚📚📚📚

I was so excited that the second installment of the Natalie Lockhart series finally arrived!! I enjoyed the first in the series, Trace of Evil.  This second novel takes place over Halloween in Burning Lake, NY., famous for their history with witches and witchcraft.  A naked body is found in a dumpster, a young girl.  Natalie is assigned to the case.  It turns out that the girl was a student at a musical conservatory where another student had gone missing the previous year.  Natalie is still coping with the repercussions of events from the first book.  We learn a little more about Natalie's past as she investigates and works to solve the murder.  We get some romance with Natalie and Luke.  There are some twists until the murder is solved.  A few things are left unresolved, a set up for book three, the fate of Natalie's friend Bella?

This novel can be read without having read the previous book, but I would recommend reading the first to better understand Natalie.

Thank you to NetGalley for an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

From reading other reviews, I'm led to believe that I would have enjoyed this more, had I read the preceding one in the series.  Because, truthfully, it was a little difficult to make it through.  Natalie Lockhart is assigned to Halloween detail in a town which thrives on Halloween.  It sounded like a fun place to be, albeit rather spooky. 

When the celebrations begin to die down, a business owner discovers a dead body in his trash bin.  The story involves, Natalie trying to, first, find out who the woman even is, and then to uncover various clues that pop up here and there.  Usually, I love police procedurals but, not so much, this one.

The Wicked Hour is an excellent story! What an enticing prologue it starts with and the story continues to captivate you throughout its entirety. 

I just really enjoy Detective Natalie Lockhart. She’s headstrong, has great instincts, is caring, and is a great Detective. Natalie is still grieving from her last case and this new case hits home to her as well. This story has a great deal of suspense and mystery and I loved following alongside Natalie and uncovering all the clues. There are some great twists and emotions and the story holds you captive to the end. Great series! I can’t wait for more!

The second book of the series after A Trace of Evil, by Alice Blanchard, set in Burning Lake NY,  finds Detective Natalie Lockhart still grappling with the tragic results of her last case when the body of a young violinist is discovered following the annual Halloween music contest. What follows is an excellent mystery with plenty of twists and suspects as we follow Natalie as she conducts her investigation in to the brutal death of Morgan Chambers. The conclusion was exciting and totally unexpected. I love it when I can't guess the bad guy ahead of time!
I really like Natalie. She's not perfect and is dealing with alot of personal demons, but she fights her way through the pain that resulted from her last case and proves herself to be tough and honorable, with good instincts. I've read and enjoyed both books now and I look forward to more to come!
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m pausing this book until I have time to read book one, Trace of Evil, as I fully believe they need to be read in order.

The writing is incredible, and I’m so excited to get back to it soon.

This is the second book in the Natalie Lockhart series.  I have not yet read the first one, but will go back and do so.  There are plenty of references to it in this book that have me intrigued.  Natalie has a complicated and grief-riddled past, but she is a very strong woman and detective.  She is brave and instinctive and gets things done.  I found this to be a very tight mystery and a page turner.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read and review this book. I really liked the first book in this series, so I was very happy when I was chosen to read and review this book. In this story, the body of a young violinist is found in a dumpster. Even though Detective Natalie Lockhart is still struggling with some things that happened in book one, she is determined to find out what happened to this young lady. This book kept my attention right from the beginning-lots of twists and turns. I highly recommend it, and I can not wait for the next book in this series!

The Wicked Hour by Alice Blanchard is an intriguing mystery. The second installment in the Natalie Lockhart series, I highly encourage reading book one, Trace of Evil¸ for important backstory.

  Like the rest of Burning Lake’s residents, Detective Natalie Lockhart is relieved their yearly Halloween celebration has come to a close. Needing to keep busy, she volunteers for early morning clean up duty in the downtown area.  Following the discovery of the remains of a naked young woman, Natalie is working hard to identify the victim.  Realizing a vital clue from the outset, Natalie soon learns that another missing person might be linked to her victim. With the assistance of her friend and boss Lt. Luke Pittman, Natalie follows the scant leads she uncovers in hopes of catching the killer.

  Natalie is struggling in the aftermath of a previous case that thrust her in the limelight and left her reeling after a shocking discovery. Keeping occupied is the only thing that helps keep her from dwelling on her memories.  Natalie is also a little off center at work since her relationship with Luke and another co-worker are somewhat strained. She hopes to recapture their once easy camaraderie but she is making little progress.

  Natalie’s current case reminds her of the circumstances of her best friend Bella Striver’s disappearance twelve years ago. Pushing aside her concerns about Bella, Natalie follows the little information she has on the victim.  She begins by retracing the woman’s steps on the night she died. She soon learns very unnerving details that bring her face to face with someone else from her past and another person with whom she implicitly trusts. Uneasy about the direction her investigation is going, Natalie nonetheless explores all leads regardless of her personal feelings.

  The Wicked Hour is an engrossing police procedural that is interesting yet a little slow paced. Natalie is quite introspective as she tries to move forward and heal the rifts in her personal and professional lives. With a very unexpected plot twist,  Alice Blanchard brings this engaging mystery to a surprising conclusion.  A great addition to the Natalie Lockhart series that will leave readers eager the next book in the series.

I really liked the first book in the series and the spooky atmosphere of this witchy town. This one seemed to suffer from a bit of a sophomore slump though. I liked it enough to keep reading, but after the shocking events of the last book this mystery ended up feeling a lot more mundane. There is some interesting character development with Natalie's grief, and I'm interested in reading the next book to see if it's more in line with the first one.

It's Halloween in Burning Lake, New York. Detective Natalie Lockhart has been assigned to the streets to help with crowd control. In the wee hours following the raucous celebration, the body of a young woman is discovered in a dumpster. Her only identifying features are a strange tattoo, a mark under her chin, and calluses on her left fingertips. Natalie realizes the ching and fingers identify the woman as a violin player, which takes Natalie back 12 years to the disappearance of her best friend on the night of her high school graduation. Is there a link? If so, what do the disappearances have in common. As she delves deeper into the case, Natalie uncovers secrets, unpleasant memories, and ultimately danger as she explores the high-stakes world of violinist proteges.

3.5 ⭐️‘S

Natalie is still paralyzed by the horror of the events of last Spring (Trace of Evil Book 1).Thousands of people flock to the town of Burning Lake for its Halloween festivities.  Festivities that last for several days.  On the morning after Halloween, Natalie volunteers for the annual cleanup.  When the body of a young violinist is found in a dumpster, Natalie finds herself in the thick of her next case. When it comes to light that other young violinists have gone missing recently, Natalie hunts for answers, are the cases connected?  It’s an all out hunt to find out what happened to Morgan, even as Natalie battles here painful past.  Things come together a bit too quickly and neatly to make this as good of a read as it could have been and there are many references to a past with very few details of that past.   While the entirety of this case starts and ends in this book the references to that past might leave the reader with many unanswered questions.  It can be read as a stand alone, but would be better to read book 1 of the series first so those questions are answered.  Unfortunately it looks like this is book 2 of 2 in the series leaving still some hanging threads.  Threads that I wish Blanchard had sewn up if the series is indeed over.

Natalie Lockhart is still reeling from her sister's death and the notoriety that came with solving a high profile case six months ago. Policing the huge party that surrounds Halloween in Burning Lake is a distraction, until the body of a young woman is found in a dumpster. Natalie doesn't really want to be the lead detective on the case, but knows refusing it will reveal her inner demons.

She immediately recognizes that the Jane Doe is a violinist, like her high school friend, Bella, who disappeared the night of their graduation. She can't be certain whether there's a connection between the two cases, but is more certain the latest death is tied to the disappearance of another violinist a few months previously.

As Natalie navigates not just the case and the demands of her own police chief as well as the police from Chaste Falls, where both violinists lived, she deals with her own memories and deep ties to Burning Lake. She knows everyone's pasts, and everyone there seems to have one.

Haunting and atmospheric, THE WICKED HOUR is unputdownable. Autumn in upstate New York seems not unlike autumn in my native western Pennsylvania, and I am totally absorbed in the setting and the characters Alice Blanchard has created. #TheWickedHour #NetGalley

Detective Natalie Lockhart is back investigating the case of a mysterious Halloween murder. A woman’s body is found naked in a dumpster with no known cause of death. Natalie has barely recovered from her case last April when she is assigned as the lead detective. The fact that everyone was in costume has made it difficult to identify those who may have had contact with the deceased. Dogged determination leads Natalie through evidence and clues that suggest the killer may have killed before. At the last moment a conversation will lead her to the killer, but will she survive their meeting? Mentioning characters from the first book, who had nothing to do with this story, seemed unnecessary as unless you read the first book (which I did) they were just names and added nothing to the story. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

I received a free electronic ARC of this police procedural novel from Netgalley, author Alice Blanchard, and publisher, St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books.  Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.  I have read The Wicked Hour of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work.  The second novel in a series, The Wicked Hour is completely stand-alone, but this tale is told so smoothly, wrapped up so tight, that I will want to read all of this series.  Alice Blanchard is an author I will follow. 

Natalie Lockhart is a native of Burning Lake, and a detective in the employ of the city of Burning Lake, New York,  a tourist town with a well-publicized 17th-century history of hanging witches and a renowned school of music.  Summer is a fairly busy time for Burning Lake businesses, but residents make most of their annual income in the month of October, basically closing their doors on November 1st due to iffy weather and lack of interest.  Their witchy reputation brings in the odd crazy person hidden among the waves of sunburned, hungry tourists, and this year is no exception.  Halloween night brings masses of tourists - and one woman, found nude and dead in a trash dumpster downtown during the massive clean-up beginning on November first is the exception that proves the rule. But Natalie recognizes the callus under the chin and on the left-hand fingers of this woman as the well earned results of endless practice time spent on the violin.  Natalie's best friend, Bella,  bearing those same scars, had gone missing just after high school graduation, and Natalie recognized them again in a murder taking place six months ago right here in Burning Lake.  

Bella's disappearance was written off as a runaway months later when a few letters and polaroid photos, posted from cities across the country were received by Natalie and by Bella's family.  But with that summer murder and now this Halloween death, that is two women with violin histories, and Burning Lake has a world-class music school.  And what about Bella?  Is she really traveling the world?  She hasn't been heard from for years.  Perhaps the murderer isn't a visiting tourist, after all.  He could be home-grown...

I found the description of this book intriguing but didn’t realize that it was the second installment in the Natalie Lockhart series. This does make a huge difference in the enjoyment of this book. To truly enjoy this book I believe you would need to have read the previous book. The backstory of the characters is important in understanding their current emotional state and in understanding their relationship dynamics.  

I found the book to be rather slow and somewhat repetitive until it reached the 75% mark where it finally  really held my interest. If I’d read the first book, I may have enjoyed this one much more than I did.