Cover Image: Trail of Destruction

Trail of Destruction

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Member Reviews

Very entertaining! Makes you think about all the actions each character played in this twisty page-turning book. If you are ever on Facebook - a neighborhood group, in particular, you will understand and be familiar of what goes on in this story. Very relatable in a way. Loved it!

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Eager for distraction in the aftermath of her messy divorce, Ellie Mileham dives into moderating the petty squabbles on her local Facebook group. When a prankster starts trolling uptight members, it’s a welcome diversion at first. But then the war of words moves onto the streets of Forest Grove, with threatening letters escalating into violent destruction. It’s suddenly clear there’s something much more dangerous at play. With lives at risk, Ellie delves into the history of Forest Grove and realises the so-called rural paradise has a dark and sinister heart. As she pieces together the puzzle of her own troubled childhood on the edge of the forest, Ellie learns this is not the first time the villagers have been targeted by an anonymous vigilante with an axe to grind. Could the two cases be connected? Ellie is determined to find out. But with everybody watching and nobody quite what they seem, can she uncover the truth before online threats become nightmarish reality?

This book sees us return to Forest Grove and I just adore Forest Grove and what it brings to a book! Once again, Buchanan has this incredibly beautiful location and a setting that should be an idyllic place to live, if you have read any of the other books you will know this is far from the truth. What we actually have is a very tight-knit, clicky, claustrophobic way of life. There are plenty of different personalities in this who all clash and have their differences. What we are left with is the perfect recipe for disaster.

From the beginning, we know there is going to be a devastating fire, Buchanan then takes us back so we can discover what happens to lead to the fire. It was so enjoyable to read about this community again, it seems they will never run out of secrets!

The characters in this are excellent as well. We get to meet recurring characters which is always great and this read focuses on Ellie as our central character. As I have touched on, the characters are all very different and bring something different to the plot, not to mention all the lies and secrecy as well! Following these characters is always entertaining and definitely makes for gripping reading.

'Trail of Destruction' is another exciting read from Buchanan and one that had me hooked. Forest Grove is one of my favourite fictional settings and I love seeing what antics everyone gets up to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy.

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I have read every book of Tracy Buchanan’s and have come to the conclusion that’s her earlier books that I have enjoyed more.
In her latest novel, it’s the third set in the town/neighbourhood of Forest Grove. Each is a stand alone, in fact I couldn’t tell you if I have come across any other the characters in the other books, so that shouldn’t impact anyone trying this. For me I feel I just didn’t like any of the characters and the pettiness of the Facebook comments. Yes, the setting of the town is claustrophobic, yes the storyline did keep moving but I just missed the connection to the characters.
Will I read another book about Forest Grove if it is written? I’m not really sure…..
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

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This book truly captured the snarkiness of the Facebook world. I have not read the first two in the series, but that didn’t detract from this book. Slow start turned in to a book with twists and turns that made it difficult to put down.

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When her husband leaves her for his first love, Ellie Mileham picks up the pieces of her life & starts again. Their two children & her job are comforts, & Ellie also finds herself taking on moderating the local Facebook group. The group is where the residents of Forest Grove air their grievances about things from people riding their bikes on the pavements to the application of shooting licences to cull the local deer. Most of the posts are rather petty & a prankster starts trolling the posters with variations on their original grievances; playing loud music, & moving all the bins, but things suddenly take a sinister turn when fires are set. Can Ellie find out who is behind the fires & does it have anything to do with the poison pen letters which were sent in the same village years before?

This is a very good whodunnit with an engaging main character. Ellie starts off as rather subdued after her divorce but she gradually gains confidence enough to stand up to her ex & start a possible new romance herself. There are quite a few twists & turns in the story, & it certainly captures the nature of a small community where everyone knows everyone else's business. Although it's the third book by the author set in Forest Grove, this is the first book I've read, but I didn't feel it took anything away from the experience. 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4).

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Amazon Publishing UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

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Thank you Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for the arc of this book. I read Circle Of Doubt by this author so was interested in reading this book. It was an easy read and I really enjoyed it. Like Circle of Doubt, there was a Facebook group with postings that really rang true and added to the personalities of the characters.

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Trail of Destruction is the third book set in Forest Grove and the second one I have read. Like the previous book, I really enjoyed this one and can totally relate to the squabbling on local Facebook sites! I found this one a tiny bit slow to begin with but once I was into it I didn't want to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for my ARC.

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I just finished my third story set in the small town of Forest Grove and I loved every minute of it.

The characters you love and the ones you love to hate with all the drama that comes with it. Tracy's books have a way of pulling you in like you are one of the residents and makes it's so enjoyable to see what will happen next. Heres hoping this wont be the last of Forest Grove....I want more!

Thank you @Tracy Buchanan & NetGalley for the ARC I had a blast reading it!

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A Seemingly Idyllic Locale…
The third book set in the seemingly idyllic and peaceful area of Forest Grove and an apparent series of petty arguments and pranks sparks something far more sinister. A credible and convincing cast and an intriguing storyline makes this a wholly enjoyable suspense and a good addition to the Forest Grove series.

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I like how Tracy Buchanan uses setting in her writing. I felt like I was part of the Forest Grove community. The storyline is very twisty and I loved that about it. It is also very tense and suspenseful, which is my favourite kind of mystery. There is also a message here about the dangers of social media, not just physical but emotional and mental as well...and not everything you see on-line is to be believed. But the flaw here is believability...This is my second book by Ms. Buchanan and I liked it a lot more than the first. I have to take a moment and say well done to whomever did that cover. It is absolutely beautiful!

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I have been on a Tracy Buchanan kick for quite some time now. If anyone knows the history of her books you will agree with me that they are nothing short of addicting. Trail of Destruction, does not disappoint and follows the villagers of Forest Grove.

Everyone knows the drama that lives among a small community and Forest Grove, is no different. When a few of the townspeople start to voice their opinion on Facebook for a specific individual, it begins to ruffle some feathers BUT a new presence has come to town in a "Facebook Vigilante" kind of way.

This was a really cool story, theatrical at times, comical and of course the juicy gossip. I thoroughly enjoy reading about Forest Grove. Tracy Buchanan, does an excellent job of setting the scene and making you feel as though you are right in the center of all the drama. The story is well narrated and easily has you hooked from page one.

I would highly recommend Trail of Destruction .

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In Trail of Destruction, by Tracy Buchanan, the community of Forest Grove is at it again! This is such a fun series! The characters are interesting, the setting is mesmerising and all the twists and turns, of the storyline, keep you hooked!
In the midst of her divorce, Ellie Mileham is eager for distraction. She jumps right into moderating the silly disagreements on the neighborhood Facebook group. Once a jokester starts pranking the neighborhood complainers, it feels like nothing more than a diversion. When the war of words turns into threatening notes and arson, it becomes apparent that something way more serous is at play.
Ellie digs into the history of Forest Grove and finds that their "rural paradise" has a darker side. As she goes through the maze of her troubled childhood she realises that this isn't the 1st time the neighborhood has been the target of a mystery vigilante. Ellie needs to find out if the cases are connected.

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This was a good mystery. The community of Forest Grove have their own Facebook group. The forum has been known to be used as a complaint board by various people and things can get downright nasty. Someone in the group starts retaliating against the complainers, things escalate and people start to get hurt. Quite the whodunit with lots of twists. After I read this book, I found out it was the third of three books written and set in Forest Grove. This book was very good on its own but I will go back for the other two books. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Another mixed review.,

The writing was excellent - I could picture this claustrophobic village and the people in it.

I am am admin for our neighborhood Facebook group, so I could TOTALLY relate to the things people were saying and posting.. This would make a really cool movie.

So why is my review mixed? Because I actually FELT claustaphobic while reading it. And I actually didn't like any of the characters. While it was an excellently told story I didnt like it.

I do want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

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Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of Trail of Destruction in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book that I have read by Tracy Buchanan and I was very excited when I was approved to read it! I found it a bit slow at the beginning, but once the book got to the second part it really took off. I had an idea about who the person might be who was playing all the ‘pranks’, but like the last book I read, I was wrong lol.

This is a great read and I look forward to reading more by this author!

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If you've been involved in a Facebook or other social media group, no doubt you'll be familiar with the behaviour that plays out. Entertaining page turner that I recommend! Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Cosy average thriller of backbiting and gossip in a village .
Fun characters and enjoyed reading it
Not a blockbuster or ground breaking but is an easy quick read with a few twists which are ok and I did guess who did it but doesn’t really matter .
Ty to netgalley and publishers for this read now addition
.

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Welcome to Forest Grove – a beautiful and isolated woodsy paradise full of gossipy and back-stabbing villagers. What initially seem to be petty disagreements in the local Facebook group start to take an ominous turn after Ellie becomes the group’s moderator. The “Facebook Vigilante” seems to be targeting the group members with pranks that seem to be escalating in nastiness and danger. Can Ellie get to the bottom of these sinister happenings?

“Trail of Destruction” is a quick and enjoyable read, almost a cozy mystery. The suspense isn’t overly dark and there is some light romance. Ellie is a likeable character, and you’ll root for her despite her flaws. The cattiness and infighting amongst the villagers will be all-too-familiar to anyone who follows their own local Facebook or Next Door group. Tracy Buchanan has written two previous books about Forest Grove but you don’t need to read them to enjoy this one – I didn’t read them but I’ll be adding them to my to-read list now!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me an advance copy of this book.

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Trail of Destruction by Tracy Buchanan is not billed as a cozy mystery, but that is what it is. If you like cozy mysteries, you will probably love this book. Unfortunately, I do not care for cozy mysteries. I do like psychological suspense and other suspense novels.

That said, I did enjoy the light romance in the story. I also did finally become engaged with the story but not until I was most of the way through it. I believe the characters fit the genre and were interesting for this type of story. There were some twists and turns that would appeal to the mystery lover.

I gave Trail of Destruction a four star rating because I believe that mystery lovers will enjoy the story. I appreciated the detail and insight into a different culture than I'm used to. That was nice. So, if you like mysteries, try this book.

I received an advance copy through Net Galley. All opinions are my own. #netgalley #trailofdestruction

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I was so excited to read Tracy Buchanan’s novel and venture back to Forest Grove! Don’t miss the importance of that gorgeous cover; terror igniting a peaceful background. The close-knit residents here live in a perfect village on the edge of a thick forest. It’s an idyllic community. Yet, Buchanan writes to peel back some branches and reveal that underneath the façade, they are really just a snobbish and judgmental group of neighbours who hide behind their closed Facebook chat group. The online posts are full of back-stabbing taunts between residents and escalate as unease and suspicion unfolds. It’s here that battle lines are drawn and villagers turn on each other. Families are torn apart as wild accusations run rampant.

As in her previous two novels set in Forest Grove, the forest itself is really a character. Buchanan’s use of a seemingly peaceful backdrop to highlight the sense of peril is fantastic. She has created a rich sense of place and atmosphere. Forests are a place of serenity and rejuvenation. The juxtaposition of this with the encroaching village full of suspicious residents keen on destroying each other showcases their humanity better than any other location could ever hope to achieve. Just as there are layers of foliage in the dense forest, Buchanan has layered her tale and as the atmospheric and foreboding narrative unfolds, we are slowly exposed to the evil within.

Brimming with twists, secrets, and resentment, this novel focuses on what happens when hurts and misunderstandings are allowed to fester. Buchanan kept me in the dark. I had no idea who was behind the malicious behaviour in Forest Grove, nor did I suspect why they were driven to such madness.

You’ll love Buchanan’s writing style; it runs like a movie reel in your mind! She is a master at creating a sense of place and examining interpersonal relationships. Her novels have the perfect mix of drama and suspense. This five-star domestic noir meets psychological thriller needs to top your TBR list this Fall.

Publishes September 21, 2021.

I was gifted this advance copy by Tracy Buchanan, Amazon Publishing UK, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

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