I truly enjoy the books by Jason Pinter. When I received and ARC from #netgalley , I was pretty excited. I sat down to read, all cuddled on the couch under a blanket, and ...... sigh..

This was a good book dont get me wrong. But I don't think it lived up to his past books. And I though the way that the main character came to conclusions wasn't explained properly -she just knew? That seemed too pat, too easy. I also thought this felt long... (this coming from the girl who loved the Stand seems odd). Maybe it was just a tiny bit.... boring... I do hate saying that... Take my opinions with a grain of salt - but if you are reading this, you are debating if you should spend your hard earned money on this book, so I want to give honesty,. And maybe my opinion was influenced by the fact that my expectations were too high??

The first book in the series "Hide Away" was excellent and I looked forward to the next in the series. This story was over the top, with Rachel Marin's interference with police investigations, and I get that she was worried about her son, I would have been too. I think how she got to her conclusions were over the top. I got somewhat bored by how "pat" everything was. Anyway, still finished it, and enjoyed it, but hope for more (actually less) in the next book, or I'm done.

I'm sure lots of people will find this book entertaining, but for me, it's too long for the plot. There's a lot of unnecessary dialogue, as well as repetitions and descriptions added to make the book boring instead of suspenseful. In addition, several characters seem to be acting out of character.

The second installment in the Rachel Marin series.
Rachel a forensic consultant, is drawn in to work a case involving the brutal murder of her own son's teacher.
The story unfolds to reveal a much more complicated web of violence and illegal business that puts her child at risk.
The book is a fast paced crime thriller. Tou can really identify with Rachel and the other characters as parents, the main focus on being how far would you go for your children?
There are many clever twists and turns that surprise you as they unfold.
References to the characters past, family lives and hidden secrets add an extra layer to the plot and make for a really interesting and packed page turner.
The only criticism of this, is that on times, considering what Rachel sustains, it seems slightly unbelievable she would still be able to physically keep going which makes her character seem not entirely plausible.
That said I found this a thoroughly exciting and well paced read, with an intricate and well thought out storyline. I look forward to reading future books in this series.
Thanks to netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the copy in return for an honest review.

Putting this one on hold until I get a chance to read Hide Away--didn't realize it was a sequel. Will update then!

The fast paced writing style grabs you from the beginning of this book. This is the second book in a series but could be read alone without confusion. Overall, a well written thriller.

It may be because this is a series book (number 2 I believe) but I just couldn't get into this story. It felt like it was throwing all of these characters at me that I couldn't sort out who was doing what. It just didn't grab me and pull me in to want to sort the people out. Just not for me.

A family of three now, after the murder of her husband, Rachel Marin is trying to build a safe life with her two children. Her name isn't really Rachel or Marin but that's her identity now. She has spent the last few years developing her self protection skills. According to her teenage son, she's way past suffocating and over protective. He feels like he lives in a prison. He is also extremely depressed at the loss of his father and becoming despondent. He is a prime target for the unsavory who want to lead the unhappy astray while using him to get to Rachael. Rachel knows her son is struggling but doesn't know how to help. But as a momma she will not let her son be taken from her or used to get at her. When the high school teacher gets brutally murdered Rachel is drawn into the investigation because of an email she received from the teacher before he was murdered. Unfortunately evil is among them and Rachel needs to use all of her skills to find the killer and save her son.
Good book and easy to read and follow. The characters are great! The newish romantic relationship between Rachel with Detective Serrano is one that has to endure her having investigative talents and no rules and his career need to follow the rules. Well worth the read you will enjoy if this is your genre. I do recommend this book.
Thank you Jason Pinter, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Seattle publishers for allowing me to read this ARC.

I love this series so much! As a new mom, I feel I relate to Rachel so much as I also feel there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect my child. It was so refreshing to read such honest statements that I could see myself saying “same” to. However, I thought her parenting was a little lax when she let her son sneak out! :) I loved everything about this book and I loved watching everything unravel up to the last pages. It flowed and everything just worked. It was an incredible story that kept me on my toes... and up late reading.

My usual disclaimer: this is the second book in the Rachel Marin series, and I have not read the first. However, I was able to read this as a standalone, with little to nothing lost or confusing.

The book opens with the musings of a teacher at the local high school on his ordinary, content life. There's something he knows, though, and he sends an email to the titular Rachel Marin, couching it in somewhat vague terms, and asking to meet her to discuss it. We can tell this will not end well for him, and it doesn't. When he answers to door and opens it for someone he appears to know, he is viciously beaten to death.

Rachel herself, and her two children, have settled into smallish town life in Ashby, Illinois. She's seeing a detective with the Ashby PD, John Serrano, and working as a consultant for the APD. This was one area where reading the first book probably would have helped, but I'm not going to ding the story for that reason.

Serrano gets a call about a house fire and heads out. Rachel isn't far behind. As it turns out, the house belongs to the (now dead) teacher, who happens to be one of Rachel's son's teachers. They find his body in his bed, and several hot points where accelerant has been used. But whoever set the fire has not bothered to try to hide the fact - meaning they are not concerned at all that anyone knows, and very likely want people to know.

The story moves from there into the whodunnit. We get a short intro (no names) to the bad guy's right hand man, who is instructed to get close to Eric. This is fortunate the next day as Eric is about to get beaten up by bully. But once he's under the wing of right hand man Ben Ruddock, who now has a name and who looks like a football linebacker, suddenly those types of issues go away. Ruddock invites Eric to join a fraternity of sorts - the description of it sounds like recruitment to some Dickensian group of misfits, with another man, Brice Bennett in the role of Uriah Heep.

As the investigation continues, Eric becomes more and more distant from his mother and sister, and the detectives are not having much luck finding anything as to who killed the poor teacher. Serrano interrupts at 1 AM meeting of the boys Ruddock has recruited, saving one of the boy from having his shoulder ripped out as Ruddock pins him.

Now the bad guys know they're in trouble, and things get murkier and more dangerous along the way, with Rachel herself being clocked in the head by someone with a gun as she's following Ruddock and Eric as Ruddock makes his rounds, handing out manila envelopes to various people.

In the middle of all this, someone from Rachel's past shows up, telling Rachel they should work together because they're on the same side, but Rachel doesn't see eye to eye with her on this.

Eventually, the hunt picks up speed, snowballing to a dramatic and action-filled resolution.

The writing was good, and while I'm generally not a fan of continued inner monologues from characters to tell us how they're feeling, I gave it some leeway this time for Rachel and Eric, as they're going through a tough time. The relationships between the characters was quite good, and while there is violence, it is crucial to the story and not overly gruesome except for the autopsy scene with the dead (and burned) teacher. I recommend you not skip that unless it's far too much for you. LGBTQ representation: Serrano's female partner Tally is married to another woman, and they have kids.

There were a couple of points that could probably have been trimmed just a hair, and the actual scheme Bennett was running seemed to be a tad overly complicated, but overall, it's quite a good read.

A solid four out of five stars.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the review copy.

The second Rachel Marin book was a steady, suspenseful read which I enjoyed most for the characters. The plot was good with a killing that pulls Rachel in to assist the police; however, she has past and present forces adding to the complexity of the case. Fans who enjoy the extremes that Rachel takes in search for answers will enjoy A Stranger at the Door as much as Hide Away and I hope the series continues!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this story for an honest review.

I received an advance copy of, A Stranger at the Door by, Jason Pinter. This is book 2 of 3 in the Rachel Marin Thriller series. Rachel Marin's sons teacher is murdered, who did it? This was a good book. Suspenseful.

I finished the first Rachel Marin book in just two days. Normally I am a slow reader but this book kept me hooked from the very first chapter. So when I found out there was a second, I was thrilled. Jason Pinter did a great job with book 2. A Stranger at the Door kept me just as interested as the first. He kept you guessing on who can trust and who you should be weary of. I really enjoy this take charge woman persona even though it can be a bit too much at times. There was some resolution to some characters we met in the first book and that was an added bonus for sure. I highly recommend this book but make sure you read Hide Away first. You won’t be completely lost if you don’t but it was such a good book that they truly are enjoyed best together.

So I saw this book on netgalley and went checking into the author. I found the first Rachel Marin book and was instantly hooked. This book was amazing! I love the mom that kicks ass to protect everyone! She refuses to be a victim. Was pleasantly surprised when her friend from book one showed up, as well as the connections she had to everyone. This book is very disturbing in the fact it shows how easily vulnerable kids and adults can be swayed. Great book! kept me hooked the whole way through.

Everyone has a secret. It seems Rachel has a past and a new name to hide from her past, her son has a new “job” with shady operations. No one is who they seem and it all ties in with one very dangerous player in the game. Who will live and who will die when the past and present collide.
This was very well written with so many twists and turns and very relate-able characters. I really enjoyed this story, it flowed well and held suspense throughout. Put this one on your “to read” list.

I have followed Jason Pinter's career for quite some time. First as a librarian, then as simply a thriller fan.
A Stranger at the Door is the second installment of the the Rachel Marin books.
Rachel's personal and familial trauma is well documented in the first book and touched upon in the second.
The murder of a high school teacher starts a cycle of violence in small town Ashby, Illinois that involves teen boys. Rachel's involvement comes through her son Eric's involvement with the group that is involved with money laundering. No more spoilers. You will need to read for yourself to get the full depth of the story.
What I most enjoyed about this book was the growth in her character and how she turned that into being more present for her children and lover, rather than allowing past dangers to force her reality.

2nd book in the Rachel Marin series and it did not disappoint. I was lucky enought to read both books as eARC's and can say I definitely recommend this series. Love the writing style - fast paced, grabs you from the beginning.

Could be read as a stand alone but why would you? I am looking forward to book 3.

Thank you #netgalley and #thomasandmercer for the opportunity to read this eARC fo rmy honest opinion.

3.75 stars (rounded to 4)
A Stranger at the Door is a well written thriller. I realized part way through that there is a first novel featuring the heroine Rachel Marin, but this story can definitely stand on its own. The central crime is very brutal, but fortunately that does not presage the rest of the book. Rachel Marin, a freelance forensic consultant, but first and foremost mother to Eric age 14 and Megan age 8, has believable emotions as she is fiercely protective of her children while fighting her own demons involving the family’s past. She is dedicated to bringing morally reprehensible individuals to justice, and struggles with dividing her time between crime-solving and her family. This story unfolds slowly, but lays down layer upon layer of deception, revelation and a varied cast of unpleasant criminals. By the conclusion, I was ready for the tension to end and the bad guys to be dealt with. There were enough twists and turns to keep me engaged in the suspense, although I found no particularly likable characters in this book. The author does a creditable job of exploring teenage group behavior and conflict, as well as family dynamics and the complexity of mature adult romance. I will be looking for the prequel to this book to see if that enhances my appreciation of this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

I loved the first Rachel Marin book and am always excited when there is a sequel to a book I loved. In this book, you get the expected drama and suspense, but you also get a deeper look into a family that has been shattered and put back together, and the cracks are increasingly visible. This is a book about greed and pure evil, but it’s even more about love and the ends we will go to protect those we love. It had my attention from the beginning and I didn’t want to put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end!

FIVE BREATHLESS STARS! Thomas & Mercer has done it again—they really know how to line up the best in Mystery & Thrillers! In #AStrangerAtTheDoor Jason Pinter gave me real chills as he made me question what did this one horrific murder have to do with the stranger who beguiled teenagers then lured them to sneak out and gather in a field in the middle of the night? It's frightening to realize that when your teenager shuts their door, you're no longer in control. That should scare you to death, and in this book, it comes close for Rachel Marin.

In this second installment of the Rachel Marin Thriller Series by Jason Pinter, this strong and independent woman steps up to save her child, and others, from a Dickensian cast of villains and unravel a mysterious scheme. The chills mount as the human sharks close in on Rachel's son—and even more so in the method chosen for the gruesome murder—Poe would have been proud.

I loved how the mysteries piled up in this story, mostly why was someone recruiting these boys and what captivated the children so entirely that they were willing to commit such extreme acts of violence? That kept me guessing. What was in the envelopes they were delivering to so many houses? The story is detailed yet fast-paced. The realization that villains like the ones described are out there is made vivid and chilling in its possibilities. Pinter's story goes where our minds seldom dare to wander.

Just when it appears as if evil has won, Rachel Marin, wounded, bloody, possibly dying, rises one last time, using all her exceptional martial arts skills, but does she have enough strength left? She doesn't. No, it appears that maybe she doesn't this time.

Recommended!

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer, #NetGalley, and especially Jason Pinter, author of #AStrangerAtTheDoor for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback, this is it!