The Margaret Nolan series has been a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed this latest installment. It was exciting and very well written with strong female characters and an intricate mystery that delivers the goods. The plot was great. Highly recommended, but be sure to read the others in the series (in order) before tackling this one to get the most enjoyment out of it.

This was such well-written, fast paced, entertaining, crime thriller! It has a a great cast of likable, intelligent, and. strong female characters. , I enjoyed the mystery and the setting of this one. I will need to read the other in the series

I had to DNF this one. The plot just wasn't catching my attention and I wasn't connecting with any of the characters.

I haven’t read the first two books in this series which is probably why I felt so confused throughout the book (or the parts that I got through). Characters are thrown at you left and right and it’s impossible to keep track of them. Add to that, the sheer number of actors behaving badly and it’s just not the book for me. I couldn’t keep anything straight and I found, after a while, I didn’t want to. This one just wasn’t for me. DNF at 40%. I may try to get through it again once I read the first two but it won’t be for a while.

“The Devil You Know” is the third installment in PJ Tracy’s ‘Margaret Nolan’ series. A famous actor is found dead in a Malibu rockslide, only days after a video that ruined his career was released. Is the video even real? Or was it a strategically released fake? Detective Nolan must decide if this is an accident, suicide, or murder. However, she finds she will have a complicated job as she must come face to face with some of the most infamous players in Hollywood. For those who have loved other books in this series, or readers who enjoy police procedurals, this is definitely up your alley. I do recommend that this series be read in order, as it helps provide clarification of the characters and their relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC of this novel.

The Devil You Know by P.J. Tracy is the third book in the Margaret Nolan series, also featuring her partner Al Crawford. When an earthquake also uncovers a body, Nolan and Crawford need to determine if it's an accidental casualty of the quake, or a homicide. Their investigation lands them in the midst of some of Hollywood's elite, and they soon discover it's hard to tell who is acting in their private lives. As the deaths pile up, so do the suspects! They have a choice of jilted lovers, psychotic bosses, frustrated agents among many others with perhaps just cause. While they were peripheral characters in this book, I'm glad to see that Sam Easton and Remy Beaudreau are still part of the series. And while the story was engaging, I still don't feel like I know Maggie Nolan. I'd love to see some deeper character development of her in the next book.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur for providing an ARC in exchange for my review.

When I started reading this, I have a lot of confusion with so many characters. Also characters were sometimes introduced with a first name , then later by last name, which was even more confusing. The basic storyline is good with lots of twists and clues. A worthy read for a mystery fan.. his was the third book in the Detective Margaret Nolan series. And again with the names, she was Maggie, Mags, detective Nolan and Margaret, making it confusing. To read. I almost wish I had taken notes tohelp follow along, or perhaps if I had read bk 1 and 2 I would be more familiar with the character.

The Devil You Know Earns 5/5 L.A. Sunsets … Compelling & Suspenseful Gem!

Kira Tanner, a young model and actress, wasn’t suppose to be at the Santa Barbara beach house, she wasn’t suppose to find the dead man on the bed, and definitely, she wasn’t suppose to end up dead herself. What explosive evidence is hidden in this double murder?

Daphna Love is a popular actress, strikingly beautiful and talented, whose “chronic discontent” is lessened thru her innocent voyeurism. She watches from behind her sunglasses everyday people in everyday situations creating in her mind the details and scenarios of their lives. Although she’s impulsive and demanding, she knows what she wants, but are there limits to what she’ll accept?

Seth Lehman’s professional success has been waning, not unnoticed by his boss Rebecca Wodehouse, and with his most lucrative client, Evan Hobbes, prominently featured in a disturbing deepfake video with a minor, Seth fears he is destined for the streets. Maybe he could get Daphna Love to sign a contract for his representation to fill the void in his bank account as well as in his life. Will Seth’s plan work or be a bridge too far?

Evan Hobbs, once the darling of Hollywood, had himself been struggling for relevancy, but the video, however manufactured, will ruin all of his prospects. He’d approached the federal cybercrimes unit, and Special Agent Darcy Moore is convinced Evan is the victim of a well-produced fake video as he claims … of course, does it matter when his body is found in the aftermath of a Southern California tremor? Will his public persona stand up to official scrutiny?

Esse Baum, trophy wife of major Hollywood executive David Baum and Seth Lehman’s sister, enjoys privilege with all its perks and problems, but having her party a possible crime scene has put her into debilitating hysterics. Her brother arrives for support amidst his own meltdown, but Esse’s unable to get ahold of her husband … and now it seems highly unlikely she ever will. Will the blind eye she uses in her marriage prove to be more 20/20 vision?

L.A. Brilliant! I chose to go beyond by “cozy” comfort zone with P.J. Tracy’s newest book in her three-book Detective Margaret Nolan series and didn’t regret a moment. The complex drama has several third person narratives, but it’s easily followed and compelling as the different storylines converge with several “Oh my-s!” and “Wow-s!” that punctuate an engaging investigation. The Hollywood community, of course, with all its elitist personalities, narcissistic attitudes, and tarnished reputations is the perfect backdrop for greed, jealousy, egos, and all manner of addictions and deviances that ultimately murder is the answer. The trickle of clues from crime scene to the lab, from Malibu to Santa Barbara, from official sources to accidental discovery from what you’d expect to shocking revelations, kept me flipping the pages til I reached the final shocking arrest. P.J. Tracy’s story was extremely well written, rich in vocabulary with clever references and witty snark that enriched and informed my experience, short chapters (my favorite), diverse characters, multiple investigations, and dialogue that did well to illustrate the varied personalities. A great way to start out 2023 with a candidate for on of my best of the year!

I spent much of this story confused about what was going on in the side stories but the main plot was fabulous. This was my first introduction to this series and I feel like I could jump into the story without missing too much from the first two books. Detective Nolan is a great character and really pushed the story of multiple murders forward. I especially enjoyed the big reveal towards the end and had only guessed one of the three murderers.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to read this book!

I was excited to give this book a try but did not realize it was part of a series. I felt like I was missing bits and pieces constantly. The story was hard for me to follow at times.

The first chapter and the epilogue are gripping and intense. The second chapters placing was a little bizarre to me then the next has Margaret at a golf tournament. By the time we are introduced to the "hollywood" characters and the murder my head was spinning. I did enjoy the glimpse into the glamourous and not so glamorous side of Hollywood. The connections between the victims and the suspects made an intriguing plot as the police slowly sift through the evidence. This is the third book in the Detective Margaret Nolan series-I haven't read the first two and maybe that's part of the reason I was confused by some of the characters. For example-I didn't understand Sam's presence in the book. Perhaps less characters and a more concise plot would have made this a more satisfying read for me. I do recommend this to lovers of detective stories. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own. #TheDevilYouKnow #NetGalley

Although not appropriate for my middle schoolers, I really enjoyed this read! Will be buying a copy for my personal library and recommending to friends!

3.5 glamorous stars, rounded up

The Devil You Know is a faced paced murder mystery, featuring a return of Detective Maggie Nolan. I read the first one over two years ago and missed the second in the series. Even though The Devil You Know can stand alone, it would have been helpful to have a more recent acquaintance with Maggie, friends, and not friends. Bodies add up (nothing overly graphic or sexual), so pay attention to the characters so you can follow the well-developed plot.

I particularly liked the detectives and the cyber detectives. The ending was a surprise to me – always a plus.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was invited to read this title from Minotaur, and was immediately drawn to the cover. I've loved reading so many of Minotaur's mystery/thrillers last year, that I went ahead and downloaded this one right away. This is also my first P.J. Tracy book, and even though it's the third in the Detective Margaret Nolan series, it can definitely be read as a standalone.

Detective Nolan is an LAPD detective who is investigating the death of Hollywood actor, Ethan Hobbes, after his body is discovered in a rockslide in Malibu. The death seems accidental, but then body after body starts showing up. Detective Nolan has her work cut out for her when all the suspects are celebrities. It's difficult to know who is telling the truth from this wealthy, elite group.

I really enjoyed the characters, intricate plot, and short chapters. I was able to breeze through this thrilling book!

The Devil You Know by PJ Tracy brings back LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan after actor Evan Hobbes is found dead in Malibu. As Nolan tries to understand what really happened the body count grows and the underbelly of Hollywood becomes exposed. I will be honest and say this is my first Margaret Nolan book, but I really did enjoy it and found it to be incredibly fast paced and entertaining. Would recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC - The Devil You Know is out now!

Actor Evan Hobbes is found in the rubble of a Malibu rockslide, he is found there after a fake video ruins his life. It’s not apparent if this was a suicide, an accident or murder. Making LAPD Detective Nolan wondered who would be interested in seeing the actor “ruined.” Detective Nolan decides to interview his friends and colleagues. Hobbes’s agent is dealing with damage control.. His brother-in-law David is found dead. Who killed him?

The author has written a police procedural that is full of murder, investigation, and the personal lives of the characters. Though the story starts out slow, it does speed.up making it enjoyable for me. This is the third book of the author’s mystery series.

So apparently this is a third book in a series. This was completely unclear to me when I requested it. I have had to start it at least three times trying to figure out the characters that are already well established. I have read many books in the middle of a series before and have never felt this lost.

I am unable to follow this story at this time. I even Checked out an audiobook to see if that would help to give the author a fair shake.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for allowing me to review this title. All opinions are my own.

In this next book of the series Detective Margaret Nolan has landed in the world of privilege. She is there to investigate the death of Evan Hobbes, a popular actor. He was found among the ruble of a rock slide but it's not apparent if it was an accident or something more yet. The day before he was found a fake video made its way around the world and ruined his career just that quickly. As she begins to meet with people who knew him she realizes she will have to wade through the murky waters of fame to find the answers that she seeks. Follow along as she tries putting the puzzle pieces together to get figure out the mystery. Will she figure out just what happened to Evan Hobbes or will his death remain a mystery?

I thought that this story was a good mystery with an interesting main character, who drove the story. I wish I would have realized that this was the 3rd novel in a series since it was not stated throughout so I missed some personal aspects to the main character and what had happened in the first two stories. I believe that if I would have read the first two first I would have felt more connected with Detective Nolan.

Also, as someone who lives fairly close to Hollywood and LA, the idea of how magically that area is always has me laughing because in reality it is a major city area with a lot of dirty, trash, and unsettling aspects. P.J. Tracy was able to create the Hollywood elite to have the perfect vibe as to how many would behave if you were to talk to that social circle and the more bodies that keep piling up the more you are drawn in.

Even though, I felt a disconnect with the main character I really enjoyed this police procedure novel and will be picking up the first two and this one again and hopefully continuing on with the series.

A great read with a twist at the end I didn’t see coming. The book is engaging right from the start. I didn’t want to stop reading. The characters are well written and realistic. I hope there are going to be more stories with them.