A bit of a darker topic, but fast paced, gripping, and unputdownable! Would have given 5 stars, but felt as though the end was not as clear and concise as I would prefer. Wonderfully developed characters, which also kept me absorbed in the book. A dark, brutal topic, but I love those types, so really did find it riveting! Would definitely highly recommend, as I found out it’s a series, so things may get clearer in next book!

Very well written, characters are easy to feel at home with. I wish there was a bit more of a resolution at the end, but it is what it is I guess.

Kate Medina walked away from her job as a forensic psychologist following a vicious attack. She has moved back to her hometown, living with her father. She's take on the job of counseling high school students.

When of her students disappears, the lead investigator Roman Aguilar, asks Kate for her assistance. Her training makes her an obvious choice, but a long-ago relationship with Roman makes things a little complicated.

No longer missing, the girl's body is found and officially declared a homicide. Who would want this teenager dead?

The more Roman and Kate investigate, they find more questions than answers. Not everyone questioned is telling what they know .. or what they think they know.

One thing known ... Kate now has a target on her back. As her past and present collide, Kate is dragged into the middle of a dangerous game where only one thing is clear—no one can be trusted.

Suspenseful from the start, this is a page turner filled with action. Characters are solidly drawn with suspects aplenty, all with varied motives. This is well-written and I did like the blend of the professional with the personal lives of Kate and Roman. Being as this is the first in a series, I was not surprised to find a cliff hanger. Let's hope the wait for Book 2 comes soon.

Many thanks to the author / Compathy Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I loved this book! From the very beginning it kept my attention and had me invested in the characters. The subject matter is one we need to read more about, we need to be more aware and this is a book I will shout to the rooftop for readers to read. I highly recommend this book!

This is Book 1: A Legacy of Silence Series. The minute I read the blurb I was intrigued but it didn’t give much away in terms of storyline. About 2 chapters in I was hooked as this type of storyline is right up my street. The pace of the book is perfect as your thrown into the fast pace from the first word and the rollercoaster ride never lets up. Really likeable main characters that you find yourself really rooting for. I really liked all the different relationship dynamics father/daughter, siblings, childhood friends. I know it’s stated that this is Book 1 but I found I needed more information and to know more about what’s going on to feel like book 1 concluded for me in some way. It felt like I was missing out on crucial information and that there was unfinished business but I suppose that’s down to the author’s really good style of writing and it’s left the way open for the next one in the series but it left me wanting so much more and unable to wait for Book 2 (please done leave it to long Amy Rivers 🤣).

Thanks to Netgalley and Compathy Press, LLC for the opportunity to read and review this ARC that was published on the 20th of April.

I really enjoyed this book! As the beginning of a series - it draws you in and leaves you excited for the next installment.

The raw discussion of small and or rural town life is pretty true to life - but thankfully not to the degree portrayed in this book. Kate and Roman's blossoming romance and "finding the bad guys" leave enough mystery and suspense to keep me coming back much like Patterson's Women's Murder Club series.

Can't wait till the next book!!

Complicit is the first time I have heard or ready anything by the author Amy Rivers. The main character is Kate Medina a Forensic Psychologist who used to work in a prison until a traumatic experience forced her to resign her job and move back to her childhood home. Now a school counselor she reunites with Roman, her childhood friend who she left behind to go to school out of state. He is a cop and is called in to work on a case involving one of her students. While it was a good book, I felt that a lot of issues were not resolved or addressed to my liking. The ending was rushed and I hope that we get more of the story in the next book. I enjoyed it, recommend it and would read more from this author and this series.
I was offered a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publishers for an honest review

I enjoyed this book even though it leaves some unanswered questions at the end (but looks like it will be part of a series so we'll find out more)! Kate returns to her hometown and must help care for her dying father. Her job as a school psychologist puts her in contact with a young girl who is reticent but eventually admits she is scared as another student has been murdered. And so begins the cycle of disaster. Kate's oldest friend, Roman is on the police force but things become dicey when it appears there are a lot of things covered up in this small town; everyone protects each other. It's maddening as we discover the secrets many of the townspeople keep and have kept for years. Uncomfortable topics but very relevant and I look forward to reading more by Rivers.

This was a good start to a series. I felt engaged with the book and characters and felt it was paced well and had a good plot

Kate doesn't lead the most fascinating life. She used to have her dream job doing what she loved. But now she's a child psychologist at a high school and is counseling (or trying to) teens that are struggling. She should love it and, in many ways, she does, but it's hard to really love it. Plus, she's back in her childhood town, a small town she worked so hard to get out of.

I like the missing girl story and how it all lead together. I was completely sucked in to the story, at first, and couldn't figure out what was going on (although I had my guesses). But I think the story went just a bit too far for me to love it. I just kept thinking it couldn't possibly be every last person on the planet - but there were definitely times it felt that way. I'm not sure I'll continue the series although I did enjoy this one.

<i>A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.</i>

Trigger Warning: Mentions of rape, murder, abuse, and stalking.

Kate, once a forensic psychologist, is now a high school psychologist. A student has gone missing and once her body is found, Kate is drawn into a plot that involves members of her small town home. Her past and present connect in ways she never imagined.

This is a novel that draws you in from the very first chapter. The suspense is tangible and keeps you guessing with every page turn. There is a heavy divide between the good and evil characters, and yet there are moments when Kate and her entourage are all ambiguous in their motives.

There was a touch of romance, but it was kept to a minimum and was a product of the high emotions that are constant in the novel. Ultimately the ending is open ended and leaves me craving more of Kate's story.

Kate Medina had been working as a forensic psychologist and loving every minute until a violent attack left her shaken to the core. This was a great book to start a series! I loved this book and recommend it to everyone.

Complicit by Amy Rivers left me wanting more. The book is nail-biting in suspense with every turn uncovering more evidence to indict the wrong-doers but they are not brought to justice by the end. Maybe that will be in the next book in the series. Kate, the forensic psychologist, and her sister Tilly, along with detective Roman diligently work to solve the murders but we are left hanging. A great read.

When Kate Medina returns home to New Mexico to live with her father, she hopes to forget about the assault that traumatized her at her job as a forensic psychologist in a prison. She takes a job as a counselor at the local high school, and tries to reconnect with best friend Roman, now a detective on the local police force.
Her latest concern is Mandy, a student she is trying to help who refuses to even speak to her. Then a young girl goes missing, and she becomes involved in the investigation with Roman. When the girl’s body is found, tortured and raped, it reminds them both of a event they both witnessed many years ago.
Kate finally has a breakthrough with Mandy, who tells a horrific story which reveals the evil that is in their hometown and has probably been there for many years. The perpetrators will now do anything to prevent the truth from coming out.
Sadly, by the end of the story there was no final resolution to all the events that took place. I suppose they want you to pick up the next book in the series to find out what happens, which left me very frustrated.
I received this book as an ARC from #Netgalley and Compathy Press.

This was a solid mystery/suspense story! The characters were great and every twist of the story left me surprised. My only issue is that I felt that it ended rather abruptly; it took awhile to get to the height of the book, then the ending was very quick. I would’ve liked to see a better balance in the book, overall. Solid and an easy read!

I tried to get into this book but I just couldn't. Not sure if it's the topic or the timing, but it just didn't work for me. I love books about psychologists and think the school counseling aspect is interesting as well. I know this is going to be a series, so I will come back later and try it again!

Complicit was an easy book to get into and ended up being a quick read. Don't let that fool you though, this touches on a lot (and I mean a lot) of different topics that can be hard to read (*trigger warnings*). In my opinion, Rivers did a great job at providing enough detail(s) for the reader to understand without giving so much that it was hard to read. There were a few times the transitions felt a little disjointed where I had to stop and reread to make sure I know where I was and what was happening. The ending is set up nicely for book number two and this has the potential for becoming a great series.
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Instagram Review: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNfCG8TLAwB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Review of eBook

After ten years and a horrific assault, forensic psychologist Kate Medina left her position in the prison system and returned to her hometown to become a counselor in the Alamogordo, New Mexico high school. Kate struggles with students unwilling to talk or unwilling to even meet with her; Mandy Garcia is uncooperative when she comes in for counseling but Kate eventually learns the details of her situation and the problems she’s facing.

The death of a local teen rocks the town, and unexpected revelations about some of the townspeople leave Kate and police detective Roman Aguilar reeling. Can they find the answers they so desperately need and, at the same time, protect Mandy?

“Complicit” is a story of family dynamics as well as one of conspiracies, secrets, and lies. The plot, though gritty, is timely and relevant; the story’s premise holds much potential and promise. But the overwhelming darkness in the telling of this tale steals some of the narrative’s strength; Rusty becomes a welcome counterpoint to the grimness that permeates the telling of this tale.

Sadly, the characters populating this narrative are either fractious and unlikable or downright malevolent; the constant squabbling between them eventually begins to grate on the reader’s nerves. Intractable Kate is particularly annoying with her short temper and thoughtless comments; in addition, everyone is often petulant and contrary. As the unfolding story provides some backstory for the characters, their behaviors become a bit more understandable, but it feels a bit like too little too late.

Astute readers will discern many of the characters’ secrets long before their revelations provide more pieces of the puzzle the protagonists face in their efforts to identify those responsible for the horrific events taking place in the town. Unfortunately, the unfolding tale tends toward repetition as it races toward its nonexistent ending; ultimately, with virtually all the conflicts in the story left unresolved, readers are sure to feel short-changed.

It is difficult for readers to feel invested in the characters and their stories if everything remains up in the air when they’ve turned the final page. Unfortunately, cliffhangers have become an often-used mechanism for enticing readers to read the next book in the series, but simply ending the narrative with no resolution for any of the conflicts played out in the telling of the tale and no answers for the reader is a massive disservice to readers [and lowers the rating for the book].

I received a free copy of this eBook from Compathy Press, LLC and NetGalley
#Complicit #NetGalley

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book: the first half is very well written and an interesting exploration about a fictionalized amalgam of sexual abuse, complex family dynamics, and conspiracies. That first half concerns the investigation of a high school girl's murder and how the small town authorities aren't able to figure out the various pieces. Then the conspirators become clearer and I really lost interest. The topic is certainly a current one, and deserves further insights, and the first part does deliver on that, and how a society can contribute to covering up the abuse and neglect in ways that individuals may not contemporaneously realize. But on balance, the story fails. You may also not want to read about this subject matter. I do think this is an important topic and it does deserve our attention.

This is a fairly quick read and fast-paced story that deals with topics that are currently in the news seemingly every day: sexual assault and sex trafficking. I was pretty hooked at the beginning, especially the first third of the book, but then I became somewhat bored — even though the story was interesting. I really could not relate to the main character, who did not seem really very likable, and the ending definitely fell short for me. A lot is thrown out in the last portion of the book, so much so that it left me with many unanswered questions. NonetheIess, I appreciate the author’s handling of sensitive topics quite well and found her writing engaging enough to keep me reading. This is the first of a proposed series, and I definitely want to read number two to see how things progress.