If this is Rachel's last book (slamming on wood) then she has outdone herself. Gwen is a badass heroine with severe damage. All the characters are destroyed and trying to live their lives. But Heartbreak Bay puts everything on a whole new level of horrible cruelty, evil of humanity and survival. I applaud Rachel for going here and loved every single second of this story. It went out with a bang of emotional trauma, emotional healing, physical healing and most importantly, self awareness. I feel privileged to have had a chance to read Heartbreak Bay because the humanity of it at the end touched me deeply. We're all looking forr the light at the end of the tunnel. All we can do is work our asses towards it.

I have been invested in Gwen, Sam, and the kids since the first book in this series. They are flawed and understandably so. I continue to be intrigued by the darkness grief can bring about. I commend the author on the gritty, deep seeded underbelly of vigilante justice and retribution. This book like the others showed the love of this family for one another, the hardness of their obstacles, and wound plenty of evil suspense throughout. Truly one of the only books I always recommend when asked about and this one will be no different.

Huge thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read my first Rachel Caine book, which turned out to be the 5th book in the Stillhouse Lake Series, #HeartbreakBay. Wow. I jumped into the middle of a firestorm here. Just because I’m probably finding out a lot of spoilers for things that happened in the four previous books doesn’t mean you can tear this book out of my hands or that I don’t want to go back and see precisely how these events unfolded because I do! After I finish this book! --- Done now. Whew. The story fed out like a snake shedding its skin, leaving me transfixed by the shiny new colors revealed as it swished its deadly tail. And that’s no exaggeration. Heartbreak Bay is so skillfully written it deserves at least a second reading – it’s a brilliant psychological study, both of deviant behavior and the behavior of ordinary people in conditions of extreme stress. HeartbreakBay could be used as a textbook on how to write a perfect thriller--how to find the pulse of horrific villains, how to break your readers’ hearts then give them hope again, and so much more. I’m headed to the bookstore for more books by Rachel Caine. Thanks again for this opportunity, #NetGalley.

Review Copy

I've been waiting for HEARTBREAK BAY for a long time. Finally finding that the advance copy was available was, well, it was heartbreaking to find that this might be the last book.

This book was full of action and suspense. It had horrendous, evil characters. It, like all the books in the series could be read on it's own. You would surely have questions that could be avoided by reading all of the books in order!

I absolutely loved this novel. If I had to make a choice as to which of the five books were my favorite, I wouldn't do it. I'd request all five in one volume and escape choosing that way.

Full review to be published online in late March.

HEARTBREAK BAY is the fifth book in Rachel Caine's popular and interesting "Stillhouse Lake" series. All the books in the series can be read standalone, but it's worth reading the whole series for context; and because, if this sounds like something you'd enjoy, there's not many series out there that are as well-considered and entertaining. The research is sound, the writing is good, and the tone manages to straddle the very narrow line between horrifying and life-affirming. This book also pulled up out of what was almost becoming a wallow in the last book; this time, the connection to Gwen's past felt much more organic, and there's a definite sense of moving forward from it.

Rachel Caine has a tendency to have her protagonists make terrible decisions in the name of protecting or saving the people they love. There's a bit of that here, as well as a reveal that fizzled. The book is strong enough to work without the big drama of a surprise revelation, but it felt like I was supposed to be more surprised; at the same time, it was telegraphed pretty clearly. Another good read in what has become a go-to series. Recommended.

Would you rather die or kill someone you love? That’s the question Gwen Proctor is faced with in the fifth installment of the Stillhouse Lake series. Gwen is the ex wife of a notorious serial killer Melvin Royal believed to have helped her ex with the killing of his victims, she’s come a long way from naive wife to total mama bear don’t mess with her, her children or those she loves and holds dear. You can’t go wrong with the amazing cast of Gwen, Connor or Atlanta her children, Sam her new husband, Kez her loyal friend and local cop. The characters are so real you want to pick up the phone and call them yourself. ! The emotions grab on you from the beginning to the end. I’ll be waiting patiently for the net book in the series.

Wow! This was a stay up all night to finish it kind of book. Once you started reading it held tight to your very soul and you just had to read through to the end. This instalment of Stillwater Lake was phenomenal. I adore the characters , they are so well written they feel like family by now.
The most gruesome of crimes, 2 dead babies. No mother or father to be found, could they have killed their own babies? . This crime takes Kez down a dark twisted path to find the most devious of criminals. A path of bodies left along the way. Gwen is being harassed again but this is somehow different, more cold and calculating... when gwen and Kez crimes twist together no one knows how this could end. Gwen will do anything to protect Lanny and Conner and her partner Sam will do anything to save them all.
Sit down and hold tight this horrific crime novel is a MUST read.
Side note: Normally I would not include this in a review but as the authors note was included in the book I am adding it. I adore this author and reading the final authors note I found some distressing news. So to Mrs Caine. My thoughts are with you as I sincerely hope you are no where near the end of your story and hope to be able to read many more Gwen/Gina books, they are among my top 5 book series ever. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Rachel Caine is an author that I absolutely love! The Stillhouse Lake series has yet to disappoint. I love the characters and the lengths they’ll go to in order to protect their loved ones. I felt that at the start of this book it didn’t automatically draw me in, but when the action started and you knew Gwen Proctor was really getting into something, I couldn’t put it down. After reading this, it sort of felt like a goodbye to the series and while I love it and could read anything that was written to continue the story of Gwen and Sam and their children, I feel at piece knowing that they’d be doing just fine with the amazing ending to this book.

This is the 5th book in the Stillhouse Lake series and I've read a couple others. I was able to quickly catch up to what I had missed so that was great. Read through this in 2 sittings! It was honestly better than the other's I've read from the series. What a great thrill ride! Loved the ending.. if you like suspense, I'd highly recommend this series.

After book 4 I was a little nervous that this series was too tired for me however I genuinely enjoy reading about Gwen, Sam, Lanny, & Conner plus I find Caine to be a very talented writer so I was still eager to read it. I liked this book significantly more than book 4 and enjoyed hearing more about the Proctor family and Kez. There were a lot of moments in the plot I really enjoyed although I do admit there were some things that were just okay and repetitive. There were things I clearly saw coming but also things I didn't. I do find Caine to be a very talented reader and obviously puts research into her books as well.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Storyline was good and although i had not read the previous titles in this series, i was able to follow it pretty quickly. It is a very comfortable read, and it moved along nicely as it went from each of the main characters to another as the chapters changed. It built to a very good ending. I would recommend this book.

I love this series and hope it never ends.
In this book Gwen and Kez team up to protect the ones they love from becoming victims of a crazy person. Gwen will be judged by a jury of one.

Grab this entire series, it is so good.

"A car submerged in a remote pond. The bodies of two girls strapped into their seats. The mystery of their mother, vanished without a trace, leads Gwen Proctor and Kezia Claremont into dangerous territory". All the books in the series, including this one are quick and easy reads. I love everything about this book.

I received this ARC for an honest review. I’m writing this review just minutes after finishing. OH MAN!! I am going to have such a book hangover. This book is so thrilling. My heart is still beating fast. I love this series. This book is an continuation of Gwen, Sam, Lanny, & Connor’s life after the serial killer Melvin Royal.
Rachel is a master at drawing you into the story, and you are along for a thrilling ride. I love everything about this book, I really don’t want to say more about the story line because I don’t want to give too much away. Everything is masterly intertwined, and you find yourself trying to fix the puzzle.
Give it a try. You will love it!

I wasn't a fan of the last book in this series because it felt disjointed and I didn't like the chapters from the kids perspectives. Heartbreak Bay however, is an improvement and thankfully only had 3 POVs: Gwen, Sam and Kez!
The story felt more natural and I really enjoyed the additional background on Kez and a little more insight into Gwen as Gina.
Thrilling fast paced and although I guessed the main bad guy, I still really enjoyed reading about it as it unfolded.

Really hope this isn't the last in the series and hoping the author wins her fight with cancer!🤞🏻

Heartbreak Bay is the continuation of Gwen Protor's story. It starts off with a disturbing crime: two young children drowned in a lake still strapped into a car. Where are the parents? Was it deliberate? Detective Kezia Claremont calls in Gwen to assist on the case. When they begin to pull on the different threads of the case they both realize that there is something much more sinister lurking behind the scenes. Soon Gwen is receiving threatening notes and her entire family is in danger. Rachel Caine once again writes a suspenseful story with twists that keep the reader on edge. I would recommend this book to other readers.

Aa always. Fabulous. Mostly we follow. Kenzi, Sam and Gwen through the tracking of a killer and a new stalker. So good. The author's note tells us Caine is fighting an aggressive cancer. My prayers are with her in her fight.

When I finished reading Book #4 of this series, I truly thought I was finished with Gwen, Sam and family. I thought the story was outlandish but the resolution offered an end to their story so I was unsure if I wanted to read Heartbreak Bay but curiosity got me.
All the books, including this one are quick and easy reads. I was immediately drawn back into the family seeing that Sam adopted Connor and Lanny; for a while it seemed that Gwen was not instigating attention and they were on the road to a new normal life. But of course, Gwen being the character as she has been developed, always digs further. The story was interesting though I knew Tyler was the culprit as soon as he said hello to Sam at the airport. It was beyond obvious and despite so much terror, so much preparation and planning, all the internet sleuthing they do, this was beyond obvious clue and yet went unnoticed by Sam. It makes the reader doubt the integrity of the character development.
The climatic scene was familiar and it did not take long for me to recognize it as straight out of a Criminal Minds episode - a family having to choose. The serial killer not being the murderer but the game host and simply laying out the choices. That was disappointing to see the story played out in such an already-done way and being near identical. The final chapter was rushed and seems unfinished. Noting the author’s message and her unfortunate health which I’m sorry to hear about and wish her health, the ending was abrupt and a summary at that. It wasn’t fulfilling. This could be the final book or it may not but the book ended so quickly and in a narration that left you hanging and empty. Perhaps that was the author’s intent; life can keep you hanging and leave you hanging.
This book, more than any others in the series was certainly reflecting upon what has been happening the last 6 months, from the chapters of Kez talking about being a POC and an officer, some of the types of white people living in their area of Tennessee, and to Gwen’s own revelations of love and life paralleling that of the author’s.

Here's the thing about the Stillhouse Lake books: At some point, they should stop working. They should become ludicrous, downright preposterous. The fact that we are now five books deep and these things keep happening to Gwen should make readers roll their eyes and sigh.

But they don't.

They don't, because not only has Rachel Caine given us sufficient background and a believable reason for Gwen's misfortunes, but she has built these characters in such a way that you can't help but care for them, hope for them, turn page after page <i>praying</i> for the to make it through.

Heartbreak Bay does this as well as, if not better than, the rest of the books. Here, we see Gwen finally settling into life with Sam and her kids. For about a single page, everything is really wonderful for them, and it's beautiful to see.

Unfortunately, Gwen's past being what it is, things get tense fast, and we are immediately plunged into two problems - a case being worked by Gwen's detective best friend, Kezia, and her own dark past rearing its ugly head once again.

I loved that we got so much Kezia in this book. She is a strong Black woman living in the rural south, and she has so much presence. She deserved some POV chapters in a book, and I love her arc here. I also loved to see the growth of Lanie and Connor, who have come <i>so far</i> since the first book. And the relationship between Gwen and Sam remains one of my favorite things.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading this; even though I figured out a few of the twists early on, that didn't stop the tension from creeping through every page and into my bones. It was worth every harrowing moment.

I also want to say: I've been following Rachel Caine on twitter for some time, and her journey this year has been so hard to watch. The fact that she was able to write this book, and give it such life, while going through her own trials, speaks to her dedication to her craft, and to the strength of her character. Reading her note at the end left me in tears.

I pray this is not the end of Gwen Proctor's journey, but if it is, it's a hell of a send-off. The author has done so right by her, every step of the way.

Different feel in this installment of the series. Detective Kezia Claremont is called to scene that is almost to much for her take emotionally. Two little girls still strapped into their car seats drowned in the car that was put into a pond. Kez calls in Gwen to help her try and find the mother who wasn't with the car when found and to figure out what really happened. This time around the story switched equally between Gwen, Sam and Kez's POV which I really enjoyed.

Neither of them know that the actual killer they are hunting is tied to Gwen's past in a way. The killer is like no other they have come across and it almost to late for them both when they realize his diabolicalness.

Gwen has come such a long way from being the wife of a serial killer. Yes there are still those that think she is as guilty of the crimes as he was but for the most part she has moved on with her life. Now married to Sam and both her kids older and starting over in new town they are trying to live as normal of a life as they can.

This was a good mystery and suspenseful and if its the last book in the series a good ending point. I am heartbroken at the author's note at the end of the book for something personal she is going through and I wish her healing vibes. I hope this isnt the last we will see of you but know you have enriched many readers lives with your stories. I can see you now in the resilience of Gwen/Gina and hope you can prevail as she has.