The Devil You Know has too much going on. There’s too many characters, too many POVs, too many storylines and too many things left open-ended. I haven’t read the first two books in this series, so I’m hoping that the Sam Eastman character played a stronger role in the main plot line of those books. In this story he has absolutely nothing to do with the murders connected to siblings Seth Lehman and Essie Baum. If he doesn’t then I can’t understand for the life of me what he’s doing in this book. The main plot of the book is a spate of Hollywood murders where the same players show up again and again. The problem is that Margaret Nolan and her partner are the lead investigators on a murder in Malibu, there’s separate investigators for a double murder in Santa Barbara, and a completely separate cyber crime unit tracing a deep fake video that the Malibu murder victim was a victim of. All of these are told from different perspective where unrelated things are going on. Nolan and Crawford seem to be overlooking what is an obvious suspect (to me) because they desperately want the murderer to be one of the suspects that is a horrible person. They don’t even consider someone else because that person acts distraught and helpless. These people don’t seem to be very good at solving murders, which kind of defeats the purpose of telling a story from the perspective of people that solve crimes for a living. The story is more a mystery than a thriller, and is low on gore and violence, but didn’t feel clever enough for me. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Maggie Nolan and her partner, LAPD Homicide Detectives, are called in when the remains of a prestigious Hollywood star are found in a landslide in Malibu. Their investigation takes them to the heights of Hollywood and to the depths of depravity. The story is told through many voices and sometimes felt convoluted to me but always kept me involved as a reader. Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur Books for an ARC for an honest review.

Detective Nolan and her partner are sent to a crime scene of Hollywood’s beloved actor Evan Hobbes. They have to determine if Hobbes died by accident, suicide or murder., I had a hard time following this book it seemed disjointed, too many characters introduced with out a backstory. Just not my favorite book of this Author’s. Looking forward to another book in the Monkeewrench series.

Evan Hobbes, beloved Disney actor, has been caught in an Internet scandal with a deep fake, purporting to show him in a sexual encounter with a child. His agent, Seth Lehman, is dealing with it, along with his psychotic boss and a woman he scorned weeks ago. Hobbes ends up dead at the foot of a cliff slide along the Malibu shore; he was attending a party and fell (or was he helped over the edge?). Lehman's sister, Essie Baum, was the hostess at the party. She is dealing with a cheating husband, and her own kleptomania. Daphna Love, Lehman's new girlfriend, is trying to recover from being abused as a young Disney star. Bodies begin to pile up and Margaret Nolan and her partner, Al Crawford, investigate. Maggie and her friend, Sam Easton, are both damaged goods, but they help each other survive. Third in Tracy's new series, which is getting better with each book.

This was my first time reading anything by P. J. Tracy. I think I missed out by not reading the first two books in the detective Nolan series. There were characters in this book that seemed out of place and didn’t fit the story line. I did enjoy the book but was confused in certain chapters.

I love a good mystery/thriller and this one didn’t disappoint. The characters were interesting and connect with the reader. The story was exciting kept you interested. It was a great read, I highly recommend it.

The Devil You Know by P J Tracy is the third book in the Maggie Nolan series. I have read all of them and this one was particularly good. This book written entirely by Traci, part of the mother/daughter team... I really loved their Monkeywrench series. After her mother passed away Traci continued to write. This one I can tell she has hit her stride. The writing was smooth and the twisting story believable. I thought I knew who did what but then…. There is another character Sam but is not featured much in this story. But reading the end I am sure he will feature prominently in the next book.
I recommend this book highly. I did enjoy the first two – which will help my enjoyment of this one

Excellent mystery. You won’t figure out who did it and why until the end of the book. My kind of murder mystery. Lots of good guys and bad guys in this one Hope the series continues b

I received a complimentary copy of The Devil You Know by P.J Tracy in exchange for my honest review.
LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan, aka Maggie, is investigating the case of a body found in the rubble the day after a huge A-list party, in the aftermath of an earthquake in Malibu. The body is that of an up and coming, heart throb, actor Evan Hobbes. The day before his death, a career crippling, salacious, video was released showing Evan involved in sexual activity with a minor. Evan insisted it was a "deep fake" video, that it was a complete fabrication, but the public is outraged. Was Evans death an accident? Suicide? Murder? Shortly after Evans death, his boss is found dead, then another body is found. Can Maggie figure out what is really going on before the body count rises even higher?
The ugly side of Hollywood is brought to light, the greed, privilege, deceit, and complete lack of moral consciousness is just the beginning of what Maggie has to wade through as she searches for answers.
I did enjoy this book, and would recommend it, however, the author used so many words to describe situations that the general public just simply does not use. I found the writing style to be cumbersome and wordy.

This is the third novel in the Detective Margaret Nolan series. A bizarre accident or murder takes place and Detective Nolan and her partner have to determine if this was an accident or a murder or possibly even a suicide. Many suspects, minimal evidence.
This case is tied in with a double murder case in another city and so they are sharing information as yet another murder takes place and all the parties are tied together.

I enjoyed the investigation and was a little surprised at who was involved. There was a side story with Sam and Melody who were in the previous books, but it was so separate they could have easily not been there. I was also stuck with wondering about a police officer who kept and then later turned in a diamond earring found at a crime scene. No idea why that was included. Maybe all these things will tie up in another story.

I have read all P.J. Tracy books and I am glad they are still coming out.

Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this early read!

I really wanted to like this book, with its beautiful cover art, but it simply wasn't for me. Though I usually enjoy the books I read from St Martin's Press, I couldn't connect with the style, the story, or the characters in The Devil You Know. So sorry.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review. *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

A mystery full of scandal and Hollywood glamour confronts Detective Margaret Nolan in her third outing.

The career of Ethan Hobbes, former teen heartthrob and popular actor, is on the verge of destruction. A salacious video of Ethan with an underaged sex partner has been released, and the public is outraged. He swears its a deepfake, and while people like his agent Seth believe him, others don’t….including Seth’s boss, who wants Ethan cut loose immediately. The situation is resolved when, the morning after an A-list party at the home of a Disney head, Ethan’s body is discover amidst the rubble of a rockslide in Malibu. As Detective Nolan begins the investigation, it seems like it might have been a drunken misadventure….but then another body turns up. And another. All are from the highest levels of Hollywood influence, and so are the suspects. When you are investigating people who have risen to the top of the world of make-believe, it is almost impossible to know who can be believed. Nolan is going to need all the help she can get to find out who is behind this string of murders, and to prevent the body count from climbing.

From an author best know for the Monkeewrench series, this is a well-crafted mystery full of plot turns and a fascinating web of characters. You don’t need to have read the first two installments in the series in order to enjoy this one (I hadn’t, though I intend to rectify that). There are several characters who play a supporting role here that were introduced in the earlier works, but not knowing their full backstory doesn’t impede the reading of this one. P J Tracy has always presented well-developed characters and chronicled their relationships within the context of each novel, and the same is true here. I recommend The Devil You Know not just to fans of the Monkeewrench and Nolan series, but to lovers of a well-plotted whodunnit full of complex characters and to those fascinated by the lives and woes of the rich and famous. Many thanks to Sara Beth Haring of St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for letting me get a sneak peak at The Devil You Know

The Devil You Know is a ride through the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. It then takes you to the dark deep secrets and evil that resides below the surface.

An actor, Evan Hobbes, is found dead in mudslide, the day after a tape was released showing him molesting a child. He swears it is doctored and untrue. So is his death an accident or a murder? LAPD detective Margaret Nolan is assigned the case. With glamorous folks living with the height of privilege it is very hard to follow the threads.

The Hobbes' agent - a man who enjoys this own level of privilege becomes involved after dealing with some nasty folks that were involved in the actor's life. He ends up joining forces with Nolan to solve this mystery.

There is a subplot when Sam, a friend of Nolan's, receives an old letter that leads him to do some sleuthing.

The characters are fun - some so slimy they are true slugs. The integrity of Nolan, the story of her friend, the writing that is so engaging - all make for a terrific read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I did not realize that this was book #3 in a series for LAPD Homicide Detective Margaret Nolan when I read this, and I don't think you have to read the prior books to understand what is going on but it may help.

In this case, Margaret Nolan, aka Maggie and her partner are investigating the death of Evan Hobbes, a famous Disney star, who has just been the victim of a "deep fake" where he is accused of possessing child pornogrophy. It is discovered that Evan's claims of innocence in the child pornography but its too late. Was Evan murdered or was it really a suicide? Next, a Disney exec that closely worked with Evan is murdered. Now Maggie and her partner are off to investigate who killed Evan and why.

My only complaint with this book is the lack of character development and extra characters thrown in that do not add to the story. Granted this is set in LA in the "Hollywood" film industry but there seems to be myriad of interconnected characters who are cheating, sleezy, greedy agents and possible murderers who are loudly in the background adding no value. Maybe I would feel differently about this is I had read the 2 prior books but I am not convinced of that.

This is a fun quick read that I do recommend. 3.5 stars rounded up!

Overall this was a good book with an interesting, twisty plot. It's the third in a series (which I haven't read) and there were obvious references to the previous books, but it also worked well as a stand alone.
One thing about the book that bothered me was that Sam and Melody were characters from the other books who didn't really belong in this one. Their story line had nothing to do with this book.
Also, at times I felt like I was reading a thesaurus, or needed one. There were flowery word choices throughout that seemed stilted. Words that average people don't use in conversation.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is an author I was anxious to read, didn’t realize it was third in The Detective Margaret Nolan series. It might have been helpful to have background on the characters. There is a myriad of interconnected characters, cheating, affairs, cutthroat greed and death, maybe murder. It’s set in the LA area with a Disney celebrity, talent agents and celebrities, actresses, musician and movie stars among the Hollywood glitz. The region was beautifully painted down to the traffic on the highways. There we’re interesting side trips to Santa Barbara, Malibu, Pasadena and Beverly Hills. The various personalities were unique and realistic. There was good personal background for the detectives unrelated to the case.
A career ending fake video featuring Evan goes viral. Evan’s body is discovered amongst the rubble of a rockslide from a mild aftershock after a party at Essie’s mansion. LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan (Maggie) and her partner are on the case. The more people interviewed, the more questions surface. Evidence of a crime is scarce and clues have them circling the same group of people. The FBI cybercrimes finally gets involved tracing origin of the deepfake video. Does his own agent want him dead? Could it be the jealous girlfriend, the actress? Who has motive, who was at the party? It was a puzzling case with many viable suspects, kept me guessing through the last sentence.
An author I will watch for in the future and would consider backtracking to read prior in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “The Devil You Know by P.J. Tracy and to St. Martin’s Press. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

OK thriller/mystery. Kept me moderately engaged, and was written pretty well. I thought the cover was excellent. I couldn't identify much with the characters, which accounts for the lower rating. If you like this series, you'll enjoy this offering.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

One day after a deepfake video destroys the career of a beloved actor, his body is discovered in the rubble of a Malibu rockslide following an earthquake. Was Evan Hobbes’s death an accident? Suicide? Murder?

Who was responsible for the fake video? Was it a factor in Evan’s death?

As Detective Margaret Nolan and her partner, Al Crawford, delve into the mystery of the actor’s death, they find the glitz and glamor of Hollywood tarnished by rudeness, vile acts, reprehensible actions, and outlandish behavior. With hundreds of people having attended the party at which Hobbes met his death, there is no shortage of suspects.

A second death, that of a studio executive for whom Hobbes had worked, raises even more questions for the detectives and soon it becomes a race to find the killer before there is another victim.

=========

Although this is the third book in the Detective Margaret Nolan series, it works well as a standalone.

Well-drawn characters, a strong sense of place, and a twisty plot keep the pages turning in this compelling tale. Short chapters keep the action moving at a brisk pace. A separate story thread, running through each of the books in this series, deals with PTSD and grief at the loss of a family member and gives the characters added depth and believability.

Lingering questions and unexpected events keep readers the unfolding story provides readers with intriguing character insights.

Surprising revelations and plot twists lead to a denouement readers simply won’t see coming.

Highly recommended.

The Devil You Know is the third book in the Detective Margaret Nolan series by P.J. Tracy. I have not read the first two books in this series and I do not think that it is necessary. That being said, I am intrigued enough with the characters to go back and read the first 2. I would suggest you read these first as you would get some of the backstory that I was missing. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book.
Maggie Nolan is a detective for the LAPD. She is used to all its residents from the rich and powerful to the destitute and homeless. In this particular case, they delve into the life of the movie stars, but it is not all glitter and gold. It is a world of drugs, alcohol, psychotic bosses, cheating spouses, deranged ex-girlfriends, and pedophiles.
After a large, lavish party, a popular actor is found dead.
Hundreds of people attended the party, giving her lots of suspects, but where to begin. Who is telling the truth, and who is a great actor.
P.J. Tracy is a talented mother/daughter team of story tellers. The characters are well developed and have interesting story-lines. This is a fast-paced novel with many twists and turns. I highly recommend it.

Another well written book in the series really enjoy Maggie Nolan and the other characters.Well written entertaining.#netgalley #st.Martins