Erin is a Veterinarian who returns home to Wolf Point, Montana to be with her sick father. The story shifts from present day to back in the 90’s when 16 people went missing. The chapters are labeled with the back dates so there is no confusion but it is distracting with each shift. It’s a slow moving thriller that turns into a macabre ending. I found the ending to be a little implausible, the killer came out of left field. Erin and her friend, Robbie, were very likable characters so you were rooting for them the whole time.
Thank you to William Morrow Publishing and NetGallery were this early ARC ebook. (less)

Word travels fast in the small town of Wolf Point. So when Erin Reece comes home to help her ailing father, the locals come out of the woodwork to tell her she's not welcome. While Erin's father was in the hospital, skeletal remains are found on his property.
The town has never forgot the three years in the 90s when their loved ones went missing. Random women, children and men just vanished without a trace. Now, decades later, bodies are being discovered and the families want answers.
Erin is trapped in the small town she grew up in. As she tries to forget her past, she is forced to defend herself and her father from a town that wants revenge.

Surrender The Dead is about regrets, loss and revenge. Every person a small town feels the loss of one of their own. When there is no one to bury and no one to answer for the pain, eventually the feelings of loss turn to anger.
The story jumps between characters in the past and the present, giving us the perspective of the children that lived through the fear and the resulting adults. The suspense and mystery builds through the years of unanswered questions and is done so slowly and methodically, that the eventual plot twist comes out of nowhere. The last few chapters are like removing the lid of a boiling pot.
I really enjoyed this book. It held my attention the whole time, with all my questions answered in the end.

This twisty compelling thriller is a fast read. Erin Reece left Wolf Point, Montana after high school planning to never return. However, her father was ill and she needed to go back to care for him. Twenty years earlier several people, including her mother, had disappeared and never been found. After she returns two bodies are discovered on her family’s property and suspicion falls on her father. Chapters alternate between the 1990s and the present as she bravely tries to find the truth and clear her father’s name with the help of her friend Robbie.

*Advance copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Wolf Point, Montana, is a place to leave - either by force or by choice. Erin Reece left behind her family and friends after graduating from high school, not looking back until her father's illness and a shocking discovery on the family farm force her return. Alternating between the past and present, readers discover the story of the disappearances of townspeople that marked the end of Erin's childhood, including that of with her own mother. The question remains: who was responsible for all of the missing people and where are they now? As the focus narrows on a suspect, Erin's hospitalized father, she is forced to confront the reality of what happened all those years ago.

The pacing of this book was great and I very much enjoyed the alternating timelines with various perspectives. However, I found the end extremely rushed and fragmented, as well as and somewhat disjointed from the rest of the storyline. There were multiple moving parts and characters that, in the end, didn't matter and served truly no purpose other than maybe to illustrate the insular nature of the community. Because there were so many names overwhelming the reader, I find it doubtful that you would be able to make the connection that was integral to understanding the motivation of the perpetrator. I enjoy books with an "aha!" moment where I can look back and see, as a reader, how I got to the conclusion. Surrender the Dead fell a little short for me in that aspect, but it was still a great read that I would recommend to others.

John Burley can come up with some suspenseful, compelling storylines with endings that you don't expect. I can't say that I fully expected the ending in Surrender the Dead which made it an exciting, page-turning finish. John Burley can also overly and unnecessarily complicate things, making it difficult to follow along or stay interested. In Surrender the Dead, Erin Reece returns to her small hometown of Wolf's Point on the banks of the Missouri River in Montana after receiving news that her father is ill. She's been gone for fifteen years, after a spate of disappearances in the community - including her own mother - left it an uncomfortable place to be. Several bodies turn up somewhere unexpected around the time of her return, dredging to the surface all the difficult memories people have been ignoring and suspicions about who was behind it all. The book alternates between Erin in the current time and Erin and the people who disappeared in the past. Unfortunately the past isn't all told sequentially, which makes it hard to keep straight what has already happened. Also unfortunately, there are a lot of minor characters that get married or remarried or are members of a multi-generation household where you may or may not have been introduced to a parent, an older sibling or an ex-spouse. While this plays a role in the story itself, it is also hard to keep track of the characters and whether they're past, present or both. I wish Burley could simplify things down some in his stories, because if he did they'd really be compelling reading.

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the preview of Surrender the Dead by John Burley.
A woman's father is sick and she returns to her home to see him. It's been a long time since she has been home. There are many secrets in this town and missing people. One of them was her mother.
Can she return home to see her father, where her mother disappeaared, and to search for the truth.
The plot goes back and forth in time and the main character's life is engrossing.
Good ending and strong plot.
3.5 stars.

This was a pretty solid thriller that kept me guessing until the final chapters! The author is an ER doc who knows how to write about the human body in some pretty vivid ways … so if you’re queasy, you might want skim-read the ending.

I will mention that this book uses one of my least-favorite author tricks - when the main character knows more than they're letting on. I always feel a little bit betrayed by this - how am I supposed to figure out what's going on if I don't have full disclosure?? However, thriller lovers probably won't be too bothered by this. The book is fast-paced and exciting.

Thank you #NetGalley for the #eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. #SurrendertheDead goes on sale January 12, 2021!

Surrender the dead was an amazing suspenseful read. It was gruesome and fast-paced and I was here for it. I loved it. The story is told in the present time and in the '90s. You follow Erin through her childhood and into adulthood. I loved the character development and how Erin developed into the story and how it unfolded in a way that the reader learned what Erin learned. As the reader, you had to quickly catch up. I read this one in two days and would recommend it to anyone that loves suspenseful reads. It does have some gruesome descriptions so it is not for everyone. Thank you to William Morrow/Harpercollins and Netgalley for my advanced copy.

SURRENDER THE DEAD by John Burley is a gripping psychological thriller full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Erin Reece left her hometown of Wolf Point, Montana after high school vowing never to return. The town holds nothing but painful memories of the tragic events that occurred there nearly twenty years ago. Back then, over a period of a few years, a dozen people went missing without a trace, including Erin’s mother. No clues to solving the disappearances were ever found. After receiving a phone call that her father been hospitalized and is in critical condition, Erin knows she must return. Upon her arrival in Wolf Point, Erin is informed that a body has been found in a makeshift grave on her father’s property. Still haunted by the past, the town is quick to accuse Erin’s father and demand justice for the families of the missing, now presumed deceased. Erin is determined to learn the truth, but in trying to clear her father’s name, she uncovers long-buried secrets from the past that reveal unimaginable evil. The chapters alternate seamlessly between the past and present day leading up to the shocking conclusion. I enjoyed this chilling and suspenseful book and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher, Scene of The Crime and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Erin has been gone from Wolf Point, her hometown for 15 years. She left the bad memories behind and had no plans on coming back until her father falls ill. Then Erin finds herself returning to Wolf Point and to the memories she tried so hard to forget. She soon discovers that secrets and the dead don't stay buried forever as they uncover two bodies on her father's farm and immediately accuse her sick father of murder.
Surrender The Dead is a fast paced action filled mystery. As the mystery of the dead bodies intertwines with the mystery of the missing people of the past, the plot twists quickly, making you suspect everyone. You rush through the story because you don't want to put it down until the mystery is solved.
I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more books from John Burley. Thanks to Netgalley and the Scene of the Crime Early Reads for the advanced copy of the book.  The opinions are my own.

Surrender the Dead



Erin Reece heads back to Wolf Point, Montana to visit her father who is critically ill. In returning to her hometown she finds her memories of the dark past of her childhood, in which numerous people vanished including her own mother, coming face to face with her present life, in which her father is now under suspicion because bodies have been found buried on his property.



This book was an incredible read! The story itself kept my interest with the memories of the past, mixing with the current happenings, connecting beautifully. But I did feel at times the characters were overly simplistic, one dimensional, lacking true humanness. In saying that, this book is still entertaining and worth the read.

Thank you Scene of the Crime and Net Galley and for an advanced copy of this book.



Kelly Cuevas

Erin Reece returns to her hometown of Wolf Point, Montana to visit her father, who has been hospitalized. Immediately, she realizes something is wrong when she finds a policeman stationed at her father's hospital room door. Bones have been discovered buried on her father's farm, bringing back memories of a mystery that was never solved...

Back in the mid-90s, Wolf Point saw a number of its townspeople go missing, mostly women and children - including Erin's mother. Their bodies were never recovered, no one ever charged for their death. Could David Reece be responsible? And will the town punish both David and Erin for his potential crimes?

Told in alternating timelines, we slowly witness the disappearances of the townspeople, while also watching young Erin and her best friend Robbie try to unravel the mystery surrounding the town. This book takes you on a wild ride! I recently read Burley's first book, The Absence of Mercy, and found Surrender the Dead to be much more captivating and engrossing. I never saw the ending coming! I couldn't put it down as I got to the last quarter of the book because I needed to know how it all came together. The alternating timelines hit just right. I wasn't totally sold on Burley as an author after The Absence of Mercy, but this one has made me a believer.

A exciting read, highly recommend! A author I had never read before was very captivating and a great new experience

This is a thriller with plot twists from beginning to end. Just when you think you know where the book is headed, it curves in another direction. It is set in two time periods, present day and the 1990's which is the time of the crimes. The author seamlessly blends the two parts of the story, and develops his characters through their narration of the story. It is a well written, fast paced thriller and kept me turning pages late into the night. Thank you to Scene of the Crime, the publisher and Netgalley for my copy.

This book was about a woman, Erin that goes back to her hometown in Montana because her father is very sick in the hospital, She has not been there for 15 years. It alternates between her memories of when she lived there and in the present. When she lived there people disappeared and never were found including her mother.
I didn't particularly care for this book, it had the usual childhood bullies and cruelty to other children. I did like the main character, Erin and her best childhood friend Robbie. The ending was actually very good.

Wow! I never foresaw the way this story played out. It had so many twists and turns. The characters were developed slowly throughout the course of the book. A thriller that I couldn't predict is a good one. I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.

Our main character, Erin Reese, left her small Montana hometown right after graduation and vowed never to return. When her father falls ill and is hospitalized in critical condition, she realizes that she can no longer stay away. Returning isn’t easy as there are difficult memories to face, and not everyone is happy to see Erin. Fifteen years ago, there were a number of disappearances that were never explained or solved. Everyone in the town is now suspicious and beaten down. There is a distinct air of sadness throughout as Erin tries to settle back in for an unknown amount of time. Even her former best friend has changed from an outgoing boy to someone who hides away. Then, a body is discovered and all the suppressed feelings are riled up, and people want justice.

This story is told through multiple flashbacks so that you can understand how what happened in the past impacted the present day. The story is suspenseful and keeps you engaged as you want to discover what really happened. There are plot twists along the way that keep you guessing and involved.

Twelve people (including children) gone missing over three years in a small town with no clues or resolution was a premise that was hard to believe. Setting that aside, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

John Burley crafts a can't-put-down thriller that reads at the speed of fright. Colorado veterinarian Erin Reece returns to her tiny hometown, Wolf Point, Montana, after learning of her father's hospitalization. Its been 15 years since Erin left Wolf Point, hopefully never to return.
Painful memories are stored Erin's hometown. In the late 90's several people disappeared, never to be found. One of them was Erin's mother.
When a body is found on Erin's dad's farm, suspicion turns towards him. Was David Reece responsible for all those missing townspeople?
Burley time hops between Erin's past and present to introduce the reader to the heroes and bullies that ruled her life. She befriends Robbie, a young Native American treated like an outsider. Over the years, their friendship will seal dark secrets that neither can escape from.
With Erin's return, Wolf Point cracks open to reveal terrible secrets that lie hidden beneath the snowdrifts.
Surrender The Dead is a haunting whodunit, rife with suspects and red herrings. Erin is a strong protagonist, trying to clear her father's name while moving ever closer to a monster hidden in plain sight. The last 50 pages will leave the reader breathless.

Oh my God! I know I have to write a review but oh….. I just finished this unbelievably well-written thriller which at times had me on the edge of my chair and I feel like I’m still wrapped up in this story.

I’m going to tell you nothing about the storyline because I am so afraid of ruining it for you. I will tell you that I read it in big chunks and when I was done gasping for air and felt I could sit back in my chair, I would put the book down and try and let go of all the emotions I was feeling. This is a thriller and horrifying and everything I look for in a roller coaster of a story. When I finished it just now I felt relief for the outcome and relief that I had finished it. I haven’t had a thriller get such a grip on me since my last Stephen King which was horror not a thriller like this book although there is horror to be found here.

I recommend this book for all the other thriller junkies out there. Well-drawn characters who you will worry about and warn with a lot of “no, no, no” to which they, of course, do not respond. I really enjoyed this book.

I received a copy of an Advance Reader’s E-Proof. Thank you to Scene of The Crime, NetGalley, HarperCollins Publishers, William Morrow and the author, John Burley

They say you can never go home again, and sometimes maybe you just shouldn't...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Erin Reece heads back to her small Montana hometown after being away for 15 years. There are obviously reasons one would stay away for this long, and soon after coming back everything she thought she had left behind begins to resurface.

This book had me hooked from the start. It was suspenseful but also had so much emotion and nostalgia tied up in it. We change perspective frequently, back and forth between what the town faced back in the mid 90's through to what Erin and the town is facing in the present day. The childhood struggles reminded me of what it was like for me growing up in the 90's in a small town. The bullies, the worries, the friendships, the chores, and just getting out and riding your bike. But with the added tension that people are going missing and no one knows who is doing it, or why, or even if it is anyone at all. There are parts of the book that really hit me on an emotional level to the point that I would have to put the book down to try and process the feelings, but certainly not for too long as I really needed to know what happens next.

The perspective changes were used to great effect, because anything that was happening in one period was as compelling as the other, so you definitely wanted to get back to the present because you couldn't be left in suspense for too long, but you wanted to go back to the 90's to see why Erin and the town ended up the way they did.

Pure nostalgia, total suspense, a book I hated to put down. This the first book I have read by John Burley but I have to now devour his back catalogue as soon as possible. I highly recommend this book.