“She was going insane. The only way she could know peace was with Moses behind bars. Abby would chase Moses Wilcox to the ends of the earth to protect her children.”

This has been a good trilogy that I stumbled upon on NetGalley. A Burning Obsession is the final book.

I am a bit disappointed that my prediction on book title was wrong. (You can read my full list in my Damaged Intentions review)

But I suppose this title fits so I won’t hold a grudge.


What’s New?

It has the same suspense, crisis negotiation, and freaky cult stuff as the previous two but this one is a little different.

Abby’s family is fairly absent in this book. I think her son, Ben’s, pet spider gets more page real estate than he does! We also don’t have her work partner, Will, or the other two cult survivors from her childhood. Not having the other survivors feels a bit unsatisfying because I feel like they needed this closure too and they had been talking with Abby about things in the previous two books.

This book is more about wrapping up Abby’s trauma with her past and focusing on the relationship between Abby and Zoe Bentley— a character from a previous trilogy Mike Omer has written— as their spheres intersect and they work the case together.


Another difference with this third book is that we have access to what Moses Wilcox is thinking and feeling. Up until now he’s been pretty elusive and mysterious. But if Abby is going to deal with her past, she is going to have to confront who Moses Wilcox actually is. Zoe is convinced Abby isn’t seeing him accurately.

“‘He’s not a demon,’ Zoe said sharply. ‘Or a cancerous growth. Or a monster. And he’s not a messiah either. He’s a man who happens to be very good at making people do what he wants.’”

Moses is all about control. And Abby is still being controlled by her perception of him. She has to recognize his humanity. He is just a man and he is not invincible. To follow this theme we have to understand more of who Moses is and I believe that’s why Omer decided to give us more access to what drives Moses.

That being said, the last notable difference with this book is that the cult stuff vamps up a bit. In this book we have people being burned alive at the hands of Moses and his cult.

As the book is titled, we figure out Moses’s burning obsession. He is obsessed with fire as a cleansing process but he also has a fetish. He is aroused by fire and is convinced that he must have sex with various members of his group (while the fire is raging and the victims are screaming) in fulfilling ‘God’s will’ of procreating little ‘angels’ to protect their group during the end times.

This sexual fantasy component is new to this book, but comes as no surprise considering the information we have on most cults out there.


The Context and Plot

This one picks up one month after book two— Damaged Intentions— when the hostage situation took place at Abby’s daughter’s school.

Now that Abby knows Moses Wilcox is her father and that he intends to get her and her children back into “his flock” she can’t rest until she has tracked him down and can be sure he can’t come for them anymore.

Following a trail of arson, Abby gets a solid lead on Wilcox’s whereabouts. He is traveling with his followers through a series of connected church locations. As they depart each church, they also leave behind a burning house where they have tied up a victim to meet their fiery fate.

Abby teams up with Zoe Bentley to try to correctly profile Moses and predict where he is going and how to stop him without more people getting hurt.

Can they get to him in time?


Other Comments

In his acknowledgements at the end Omer talks about how he had wanted to write a showdown between Moses and Abby. He wanted to make sure to add the ‘other’ character— the fire. That definitely added to the showdown scene but I felt that I wanted more dialogue about the past. We hear Abby’s thought process as she has some realizations but she doesn’t specifically voice them to Moses. We just watch her ‘negotiate’ her way through the situation. I wanted to see her confront him about some of the cult things.



This was an interesting quote:

“Fear flourished at night. But it didn’t necessarily lie. In Delilah’s own experience, fear mostly told the truth at night, a truth that during the day she could all but ignore.”

In some ways I disagree. When I think about some of the fears I have at night, they can be pretty irrational. But considering the context of her situation, this quote can be accurate. The cult is keeping her isolated and busy and inundated with information so that she doesn’t have time to think things through. As she lays in bed at night it’s quiet and she can process things in a way she can’t during the day. Her real fears tell her the truth that she’s not allowed to think about when she’s surrounded.


And this quote:

“‘She didn’t join this group. People don’t join cults. They’re recruited. And usually they have little control when it happens.’”

This is really insightful. We tend to judge people who ‘join’ cults thinking they’re idiots and why would they choose that, but we don’t recognize the strategies and manipulation that is at play. The more I read about cults and people’s experiences the more this statement resonates with me.

Check out Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism to see how words play a part in that.


And this one:

“What motivated a serial killer to kill repeatedly wasn’t the same as what necessarily motivated a cult leader to kill repeatedly.”

Zoe Bentley’s series is about serial killers. Abby’s series is about cults and negotiating. So what happens when these two worlds collide? Profiles have to be adjusted. The environment and principles of a cult do create a different system than a ‘normal’ serial killer. It’s interesting to think about what creates these two different types of killers. Or is the conception similar even if the outcomes vary?



Abby’s teenage daughter, Sam, gives a speech at her concert and says: “A few of us… pupils and teachers…” and I just wanted to point out that nobody uses the word ‘pupils.’ Nobody. Especially a teenager. The word choice should be students.



I hope no one needs this disclaimer, but I want to confirm that Moses’s interpretation of the Bible is wrong and twisted. It makes me sad and angry that people create these evil cult groups and incorporate the Bible into their wicked ways. They pervert truth and use it to hurt people and that is not God’s will. Moses’s cult is fictional but there is no shortage of real cults that function like that in the world today.



Recommendation

If you’ve already been reading this series, then you’ll definitely want to read this one to finish it up!

If you haven’t started it yet, I think it’s worth checking out! But read it in order or you’ll probably be a little confused and not fully understand everything.

It’s suspenseful and very mild in terms of language and sexual content. I think his writing is good and his stories are interesting.

I haven’t decided if I’ll go back and read Zoe’s series or not. Zoe is quite a different character than Abby and from what I’ve read (which really isn’t much) it may be a bit more intense or violent as it focuses on serial killers who do some strange things.

It seems like Omer’s MO is to create a main protagonist who is still haunted by their past which becomes entangled in their present lives and forces them to confront that part of themselves that hasn’t fully healed or resolved.

If I decide to read it, I’ll link my thoughts here.

But I’m definitely going to keep my eye out for Omer’s next book! Maybe he’ll be starting a new series!


[Content Advisory: 0 f- words, 17 s-words]


**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

A NYC Police Officer Just Shows Up At A Wyoming Crime Scene!

The novel opens with Moses Wilcox leads his cult congregation to a wooden shack in the middle of nowhere Wyoming. His followers pore gas and all over the shack and inside. They light the gasoline, and the shack goes up in flames. There’s a poor man inside. The site is a crime scene the next morning. New York City Police Lieutenant Abby Mullen shows up stating that she is investigating similar arsons. The local police accommodate her. Shortly after Zoe Bentley, an FBI forensic psychologist arrives. Bentley was cooler with her. She personally does know Mullen as they had met before. The novel grows from this start.

The main storyline consists of two major threads. The first is from the point of view of Moses Wilcox, who now goes by Fr. Moses Williams. Some minor threads support this thread that cover the recruitment of a new cult member and life in the cult. The second thread is the investigation and chase to bring Wilcox to justice. These two threads give the main storyline a cat and mouse chase flavor. To maintain a high level of suspense, there will be another deadly arson will occur shortly. Add to this is that Moses wants Abby and her daughter under his control that makes this chase very personal for Abby. My interest was locked in during Chapter 1.

The B-storyline is quite rich as Abby is juggling a long-distance investigation with Zoe Bentley not very appreciative of an interloper on an FBI investigation, as Abby works to forge a working or better relationship with Zoe and keeping her children under adult supervision. Her daughter is an active teen, and teen girls always are a handful. Her younger son has a menagerie of uncommon pets that are challenging to keep fed. I particularly enjoyed how Abby changes her normal approach to an investigation when now she needs to rely on the good graces of others to participate in the investigation. These aspects enhanced my reading enjoyment especially one incident where she had to hurry to prepare for the return of her children. That was my favorite scene in the entire series.

There are aspects that some readers can find objectionable. The story centers on the leader of a cult that uses his position of authority to carry out baptisms by fire and commit crimes against the women in the cult. These scenes are not dwelt upon but definite earn the caveat that the reader be forewarned. These aspects did not hamper my reading enjoyment of this novel. As for vulgar and impious language, it is near zero. Most instances were a low level of rude language. The last question in this category is that can this book be read first. I believe so, as I found backfill adequate. If you have not read the first two, I recommend reading them first and even the Zoe Bentley series as this novel’s storyline becomes more meaningful, but it is your choice.

There are many aspects that I really enjoyed in this novel. The major one was having Zoe Bentley as a major character in this novel. She was the main character in a very popular three-book series just before this one. I enjoyed each one, and having her here was like receiving an extra free scoop of ice cream. The Zoe Bentley character was a little different in this book from what I remember from her own series. I attribute this to seeing her from an external perspective. I honestly did not find anything that decreased my reading enjoyment. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel, and it did keep me up late reading it. This novel just reaffirmed this author being in my Must-Read author rating. If you like this genre, I recommend reading this novel, but see my caveats in the possible objectionable aspects earlier. I rate this novel with five stars.

I like the Zoe Bentley series and when I saw Mike Omer had another series, read the first Abby Mullen book. When I was approved for this one, I realized there was a second book, Damaged Intentions, and read that one prior to starting this one. I enjoyed the first book, A Deadly Influence, but didn't like the second book as well. This installment was better.

I was invested in finding out how the story concluded and enjoyed seeing Zoe and Tatum making an appearance. Cults and their leaders are always fascinating subjects and this example was no different. The story was engaging and kept me interested enough to want to see how it all ended.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Mike Omer for the ARC.

4.5⭐
NYPD Lieutenant Abby Mullen is back. A month on from the harrowing events in Damaged Intentions. She is determined to hunt down Cult leader Moses Wilcox. Who also happens to be her biological father and her hunt leads her across the country to a series of fires in small towns where victims are left to burn alive and young women are disappearing nearby.

But out on a limb and far from her jurisdiction Abby needs help and finds herself teaming up with profiler Zoe Bentley. Who also happens to be hunting Moses.

However, the pair soon realise they're in a race against time. As a young mother and her two children have been reported missing by her husband who is burnt alive just hours later.

And with a sense of mounting danger, fantastic pacing and a gripping confrontation between Abby and Moses.This was a terrific read. That I stayed up well into the night to finish. As I just couldn't put it down.

I would happily recommend A Burning Obsession and the Abby Mullen Thrillers to all.

4.5 star story…A Burning Obsession is an appropriate title..Abby is Obsessed to find Moses, Zoe is obsessed with her narrow minded profile..Moses was obsessed with his cult, and I was obsessed in finding out what happened next. Story telling is spot on, so why not a 5 star some events in the story pertaining to Abby weakened her character to me, ****minor spoiler****Abby took time off work stating that she was helping her child cope with the school incident from one month prior, but in reality she was traveling all over tracking Moses. Another point was the Abby is NYPD negotiator, what is she doing traipsing all over someone else jurisdiction without being asked to…But other than that it’s a very good story sucks you in, gets you all riled up hoping the cult and leaders gets caught. One minute you feeling sorry for Delilah, next you want to shake the change out of her pockets. Disliked Zoe at beginning of book but by midway she was more likable, she took a lot to warm up to. Tatum was barely involved it was mostly Zoe and Abby. Would definitely read this author again…I received this book under netgalley ARC, this review is my own personal thoughts.

The finale of this part of Abby’s story and it brings in Zoe Bentley from Omer’s other books. Abby continues to pursue the cult leader who says he is her father. Obsessed detective to the rescue. Even as they show it it is hard to understand how people end up in these cults and stay. Not my favorite of Omer’s but a decent story.
I was given a copy by Netgalley, opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book! I felt like there weren't really many slow parts and I found myself wanting to finish up work or my chores so that I could get back to this story and find out what happened! There were also relatively short chapters which is always a plus!

I haven't read many cult focused books so I struggled there seeing how the cult misused Biblical scripture to fit their agenda (as cults do). However, I felt emotionally connected to the characters. I hurt for them, worried about them and for their safety, cheered them on, and angered over the events happening.

A Burning Obsession is considered the third in the Abby Mullen series, but it also includes Zoe Bentley and Tatum Gray.
It starts off with Moses Wilcox and his cult burning a man in his house alive. Abby shows up in Wyoming to investigate, at the sort of request of Gray. As Zoe was out of the room when the good Lord handed out tact, there’s a lot of humor as Abby watches Zoe deal with the local police force. In fact, I was surprised by the amount of humor in this book.
This is the third and final book in the series and this is a series best read in order. All the books involve Abby’s childhood history with a cult and the prior books give that background in detail.
The story is told from an omniscient POV which keeps the plot moving at a brisk pace. Omer presents an in depth look into cults and their ability to ensnare people.
The book has a hell of an ending (in both the figurative and literal sense).
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.

YAY!! Abby is back! I did not love book two. But I'm happy to report-book 3 redeemed the series for me! This was chilling and twisty. I loved following the case as the truths were uncovered. Fast paced, full of twists, and excellent character development. Loved this one!

Action filled from the start. Was pleasantly surprised to find other characters from this author mixed into the tangled web of suspense. Once I started I had to finish. Wonderful mystery and suspense.

This didn't match my expectation from a Mike Omer book. I didn't feel invested in the story. It was also very low on humour, it felt like the author just wanted to fulfil his commitment to deliver the 3rd in the trilogy on time.
Zoe's character was annoying. She is the civilian consultant and not even a FBI agent still she bosses around saying who should be around in a crime scene. She was really not needed as a profiler in the story. It could have been anyone else.
This book needed some editing. I think some scenes were mixed up - the quick escape of a large number of cult members didn't make sense.
The last part was exciting. Mullen's negotiation skill was effectively implemented not only by Mullen but by others as well.

I wish Mike Omer writes more in the Glenmore Park series , I don't mind Zoe and Mullen as minor characters but don't want their own any more.

<i> Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC</i>

This seems like a long and slow book at first, but it's really got thrills and action enough. The characters are very good (except for a lot of them being crazy, of course), and the writing is excellent.

The synopsis says that this is the conclusion of the Abby Mullen trilogy, and I’m OK with it. She finally confronts her father, cult leader Moses Wilcox, and the duel is a doozy. No spoilers here, because until the very end it’s unclear how things are going to end, especially when a third character is introduced. Speaking of characters, Zoe Bentley and Tatum, from Omer’s other successful series, help Abby this time, and I loved their interactions. There’s even a cameo from a fan favorite. The plot is very suspenseful, since this is a race to save very likable victims that include a girl and a baby. The balance between the procedural part of the novel and Abby’s family life is perfect to move the plot along at breakneck speed. An entertaining and exciting book.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Thomas & Mercer!

I’ve been waiting for the ending of this series.
Abby Mullen has been trying to reconcile the events of her childhood being raised in a cult, her entire adult life. She is getting closer to the answers as the FBI try to keep her away from a string of suspicious fires that are being set by the cults leader Moses Wilcox. FBI agent Zoe is suspicious of Abby’s intentions and refuses to entertain her ideas.
Moses is getting more and more dangerous in his control of the women in his group. As the authorities start connecting the pieces,, Moses starts losing control, and gets more and more paranoid, knowing Abby is closing in.
The book is really well paced and at the end everything finally come together for a really great ending.
Side note, I love when an author writes in a location specific sentence, and you know exactly where it is.
Thanks for the Sacramento shoutout!

Great ending to the series but I will miss Abby Mullen.

Definitely recommend this series!

Thank you Mike Omer and #thomasandmercer for this series and #netgalley for approving me.

Mike Omer knows how to build suspense, develop characters, add action and atmosphere, and keep readers on the edge of their seats. The third and final book in this series, A Burning Obsession , continues to feature Abby Mullen. She’s a lieutenant with the New York City hostage negotiation team, a mother of two children, divorced, and she experienced childhood trauma when she was seven. When a series of suspicious fires leaves victims dead in isolated homes, she believes an adult escaped the fires of her childhood and is once again a threat after 30 years. After a lot of research, she contacts the FBI and connects with criminal profiler Zoe Bentley and Agent Tatum Gray. Is Moses Wilcox back in action or are these unrelated fires? What could be their connection?

Abby’s character is well developed. Readers get insight into both her personal and professional lives as well as her strengths and vulnerabilities. They also get great insight into Zoe. Both are strong, successful, and determined women. However, Abby’s childhood has had an impact on her. Can she face her past? Zoe tends to clash with others in authority. She says what she thinks rather than what could be said to get cooperation. Other characters vary in depth, but provide support, conflict, or interest. The author combines concise, clear physical descriptions that are supplemented with demonstrations of their weaknesses.

An intriguing and memorable opening scene will immediately pull most readers into the story. That scene is vivid and painful to imagine. The suspense is built gradually as characters are introduced and readers begin to get a sense of what is to come. When the action started, this reader eagerly turned the pages with nervous anticipation. Who will survive? How will the situation be resolved? What an ending! Will you guess what happens?

This novel is a creative, complex, and well-paced tale with layers and twists that will keep a reader guessing. High stakes and an all-too-real situation kept me engaged throughout the story. There are some shocking and disturbing scenes as it unfolds. The people in the story came to life, and I was cheering on the police as they worked desperately toward a resolution. Themes include work relationships, family relationships, death, abuse, and much more.

Overall, this amazing thriller with intense moments and action kept me turning the pages. There was enough background in the novel that it worked well as a standalone. However, reading the previous books adds background and more insight into Abby’s character. Those who enjoy crime thrillers may want to check out this series. I’m looking forward to reading what Mike Omer writes next.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Mike Omer for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for November 8, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

I really wanted to like A Burning Obsession by Mike Omer more than I did, but from the first chapter, I could not get invested in the story or the characters. The book was too long and very repetitive.

A Burning Obsession is the third installment of the Abby Mullens series and my least favorite of the series. The book wasn't bad, it was just too long and repetitive for me and didn't hold my attention.

I would rate this a 3 out of 5 stars.

#ABurningObsession #NetGalley @AmazonPub

I thought this was going to be the slowest of the trilogy but this series ended with a bang. I still think the Zoe Bentley series is better than the Abby Mullan series. Abby is too family orientated for my liking and there is too much circulation around her relationship that provides nothing to the story. Zoe Bentley is all business.

Abby Mullan is hot on the tail of Moses Wilcox, who is causing havoc all over the country with his (literal) burning obsession to light fires and amass his following. This started off slow but quickly picked up the pace and before I knew it I was racing to the end. I love Mike Omer's writing style. The chapters flow and I find his books very readable. However, I still would have cut a fair bit out. A couple of sentences from every chapter and this would have been a near perfect ending ending to the Abby Mullan series. Can't wait for what's next from Mike Omer.

**Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for my ARC.

Third book in the Abby Mullen series

When a series of suspicious fires leaves multiple victims dead in their homes, NYPD hostage negotiator Abby Mullen knows in her bones that the terrors of her childhood have returned. As a young girl, she narrowly escaped a fire set by Moses Wilcox, a fanatical cult leader who’s been presumed dead for thirty years. These murders have his fingerprints all over them.
Meanwhile, razor-sharp criminal profiler Zoe Bentley is investigating the arsons but she’s never seen an offender like this. Zoe needs insight from someone who understands the mind of a cult leader. Someone like Abby Mullen.
As the unlikely duo teams up on the case, it’s time for Abby to face the memories she’s always wanted to forget: the cult that defined her childhood, the fire that killed her family, and the man who engineered it all. The race is on to catch a killer even if it means braving the fiery wreckage of Abby’s past.
Really enjoyable read totally read
Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer
I just reviewed A Burning Obsession by Mike Omer. #ABurningObsession #NetGalley

This book was sent to me by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher for the electronic review. This is a book of fiction that reads like nonfiction at times. The author is talented and gifted at writing a book that is difficult to put down. Amazing what people do to others...the main character is invested in what happens to the culprit in this story...as are those around her. so many...this is a quick read with descriptive passages...some explicit scenes...