I love Regan Merritt’s tenacity and boldness, but mostly I love how real she is. This is the second book in the series but can definitely be read as a standalone. Regan thought the worst pain she could ever endure was when her ten year old son Chase was murdered. But she finds out that there is pain that is equally hard to endure when a close friend and mentor is killed and she is determined to follow the clues no matter where they may lead. All of the characters are relatable and realistic although not all of them are likable. The villains are definitely not on my “I would like to meet this guy” list unless I have Regan backing me up with her Glock. The pace is fast and maintained my interest from beginning to end. There are some real unexpected twists here that I did not see coming and I really enjoyed them. I liked finding out more about Regan’s current situation and her quest to find peace with her past. The mystery is real, the red herrings are numerous and this is a well-written whodunit that had me on the edge of my seat. Loved it and look forward to the next book in the series!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Wow! What an amazing second book in the Regan Merritt series! After losing her young son, former U.S. Marshal Regan Merritt moved back to Arizona to live with her family. Out of the blue, her former partner Tommy leaves her a voicemail that he has been looking into her son’s death and may have some answers. Before Regan can even respond, Tommy is dead. Regan gets on the next flight, determined to find out what Tommy learned. As more and more people associated with the case turn up dead, Regan continues investigating. She will find out who killed her son or die trying.

Allison Brennan does not disappoint with this second installment in the Regan Merritt series. Regan is everything you would want in a female main character, strong, fearless, brave, and almost invincible. Brennan provides us with an intense thriller, with twists and turns like no other. The story moves fast, making you want to read more to discover what happens next. There are many players in this story, you don’t know whom to trust. The ending was satisfying and incredible, one I did not predict. I highly recommend the Regan Merritt series to anyone that enjoys thrillers! I give this one 4.5/5 stars!

US Marshall Tommy is determined to uncover the truth behind the murder of his friend, a former US Marshall, Regan's sons murder but uncovering the truth gets him killed and all the evidence stolen! Now, Regan is determined to find the truth and feels that it lies with her ex-husband Grant's law firm! There is still bad blood between Regan and Grant because he blamed her job on their son's murder! Regan is also torn between who she can trust and who she can't as she knows she's being followed and the FBI, which is investigating Tommy's murder, has an obvious mole! How far must she go to uncover the truth and how far will big corporations with endless money and resources go to keep it from her!

Don't Open The Door started out strong with engaging, interesting characters with heartfelt stories and a good plot development. However, I'm sorry to say that it went down hill from there. The amount of repetition in this book was overwhelming! I lost track of the number of paragraphs that went on about why Grant and Regan were no longer married, why Regan was currently unemployed, and so many other topics. It really took away from my interest in the story. And, the ending seemed so far fetched with the characters so loosely tied together with a predictable shoot-out and no big surprises!

“I’m going to find the truth, Charlie. It’s here, somewhere. I’ll find it and I’ll find Tommy’s killer. And learn what really happened the day Chase was murdered––and why.”

After reading The Sorority Murder (Regan Merritt #1), I was so excited to see Allison Brennan’s follow up. The Sorority Murder was campy while still remaining firmly in the classic mystery/thriller genre, and I so enjoyed Regan, the former US Marshall, as an investigator. I loved the dynamic between her and her dad, and all the classic sorority nonsense. However, this follow up did not follow through.

Summary:
After her son is killed because of her role as a US Marshall, Regan Merritt splits with her husband and leaves Washington, DC to move in with her dad in Arizona, where she quickly becomes involved in a local murder case (The Sorority Murder). Now, nearly a year after her son has died, Regan gets the news that her best friend and former partner, Tommy Granger has been killed by a professional sniper. Determined to find justice, Regan immediately makes her way back to DC, joining forces with another friend and partner, Charlie North.
The thing is, Regan knows Tommy’s death wasn’t a one-off; days before his murder she received a voicemail from Tommy claiming he had more information about her son’s murder. Now back where it all happened, Regan becomes convinced that Chase’s death wasn’t related to her job at all, but her ex-husband’s. Grant Warwick is a partner at a law firm in DC, a firm well-known for representing politicians and wealthy men who need their dalliances covered up.
As Regan and Charlie work backwards from Tommy’s research, more and more evidence points towards Franklin Archer, Grant’s partner, and the bank robbery Regan worked right before Chase’s death. Suddenly, the blame that Grant had been placing on Regan for their son’s death seems to point back towards him and his firm, especially his partner. The more Charlie and Regan uncover, the more complicit Archer and Warwick look, but despite their rocky past, Regan is sure her husband wouldn’t be involved in illegal affairs—right?
Regan wants answers, but with every rock she uncovers, the more danger she and her loved ones are in. And as bodies start appearing, Regan knows she needs to move fast, or she might be next.

Thoughts:
When I saw Brennan’s sequel would have Regan confronting her son’s untimely death, I was hooked. Chase’s death hung over Regan throughout The Sorority Murder, and I was interested to see her get closure. Rather than having the intriguing concept of a serial sorority girl murderer, Don’t Open the Door was a stereotypical thriller that could have been written by James Patterson or Michael Connelly. At no point was I on the edge of my seat, anxiously awaiting the big reveal; in fact, even if you paid me a million dollars, I couldn’t tell you what door shouldn’t be opened.
There were so many names and companies to keep track of in this novel that I couldn’t remember who was good and who was bad. Don’t Open the Door felt like I was reading the script for an episode of Law and Order or NCIS—it was cliche after cliche, with predictable villains, testosterone filled car chases, and reveals that surely were meant to be jaw dropping, but instead left me wracking my brain for context.
I was such a big fan of The Sorority Murder; Regan Merritt was a badass, reluctant detective with a cast of mostly women attempting to solve a murder everyone else had written off. In Don’t Open the Door, Regan is consistently surrounded by men with increasingly similar names, convenient technology, and flashbacks meant to evoke sympathy. Brennan’s writing left me unimpressed, and even the formatting of the ARC was lacking, with odd spacing in dialogue and random sentences in a much larger font than the rest of the book.

Overall:
Despite my love for The Sorority Murder, Don’t Open the Door has turned me off of Allison Brennan. I spent the entire book waiting for a door to appear, and not once could I find a situation that warranted the title. Regan was a mostly unlikable main character, the mystery was underwhelming, and the ending was incredibly lackluster.
For fans of James Patterson, Michael Connelly, or Louise Penny, I’m sure this would be a great read. But for those who enjoy a more nuanced mystery/thriller, I would recommend steering clear.

To be blunt, I was very disappointed in this book. This is nowhere near the best that Allison Brennan can write. I get that Regan has suffered an unspeakable tragedy for any parent. The hole in her life was slowly healing and, in this book, gets ripped wide open again. The story about how she picks up the investigation left incomplete on the murder of her friend, Tommy, was convoluted and twisty and at times you wondered if all the pieces would come together or if the good guys would win or all be killed.

Former US Marshal Regan Merritt has found peace in the wide-open spaces of her home in Arizona. It is a peace that is destroyed with a phone call from an old friend who has been investigating her son's murder on his own time. Marshal Tommy Grainger has finally answered the question of why her son, Chase, died. The next thing Regan hears is that Tommy has been murdered and there is no trace of anything he was working on.

Going back to Virginia reopens the wound that has been slowly healing, but the murder of Tommy proves to Regan that the death of her son wasn't her fault as her ex-husband, Grant Warwick, had claimed. Determined to find a trail from the scraps of notes left behind, Regan finds the trail leads to her ex and his law firm. Grant is not cooperative, even though Tommy had called and met with him several times in the weeks leading to his death. Knowing that Grant is the key, Regan tracks him down, but Grant is scared and refuses to help her. On her own, Regan puts together a sinister plot that involves some of the most wealthy and powerful people in the nation. But she lacks evidence, and a killer is on her trail.

My thanks to the Publisher and the author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

This is second in the Regan Merritt series, but easily could be read as a stand-alone. Regan is a former US Marshal whose friend is murdered while investigating the death of her son. She starts digging into the investigation, finding out the truth is more complicated than she ever thought, and her ex-husband Grant is not as innocent as he claimed. 
*
This was a quick read, very exciting, and I thought it was a solid thriller. This was great for a poolside read, something entertaining and engaging but not necessarily super deep. I did think it could benefit from some editing--the regular revisiting of what went wrong with Regan and Grant's marriage got repetitive, and Grant was just a moron of a character. 
*
There were also a lot of actors, which made it a bit complicated to follow the ultimate reveal, but it does a good job of explaining it all. While I didn't love it, I certainly found it enjoyable!

Really liked the first book in the series but wasn’t really impressed with this one. I think I liked the topic of the last one more this was too much corporate secrets and things like that. Still really loved the main character but didn’t really enjoy this book

I've been meaning to try this author for years now, but somehow her books always seemed to slip between the cracks of my TBR mountain. When I saw the opportunity to read Don't Open The Door, I decided to jump right in even though I still had to read the first book of the series; I thought it would be the perfect excuse to read both books quickly. I'm definitely glad I did, because the first book ended up a solid start of the series, and this sequel was even better. What a ride it was!

Before I continue, I do have to say that I recommend reading the books in order; both because it will make it easier to understand Regan's character and because this sequel continues where the first book left off. The Sorority Murder might have a slower start with a pace that takes a while to pick up, but the podcast angle is very well done and the second half truly picks up. Don't Open The Door has a completely different feel though, and basically hits the ground running. The story starts with a bang, and things never slow down afterwards... There is a constant threat of danger around every corner and of course the conspiracy plot itself to keep you busy. There are also plenty of twists along the way, and the questions around the deaths of Regan's son Chase as well as her former boss Tommy will have you turning those pages at speed.

While Don't Open The Door has multiple POVs, we mainly stay with Regan as she tries to find out what Tommy discovered about Chase and who was behind the death of both. I liked this focus on Regan, and we get to know her better this way as well, which is a bonus. The other POVs complemented the plot without distracting, and it was interesting to see how the different characters reacted to the developments in the plot. Don't Open The Door definitely has that conspiracy plot element going on, and it was intriguing to see the different parts of the puzzle slowly coming together and finally discover the truth about it all.

I really enjoyed the writing style, and Don't Open The Door has convinced me I need to try more of her work soon. This sequel was a lot more fast-paced and action-packed than the first one, and especially the second half was explosive. Things can be said about the credibility of certain aspects of the plot, but I personally didn't mind because the entertainment factor was most definitely there. I'll be keeping my fingers crossedd that we will get more Regan Merritt books in the future!

Don't Open the Door by Allison Brennan is a very highly recommended mystery/thriller/procedural and the second book in the series featuring Regan Merritt.

Regan Merritt has left the US Marshals and her ex-husband, Grant after the murder of their ten-year-old son, Chase, and moved to Arizona. When her former boss, US Marshal Tommy Granger, is shot and killed after contacting her claiming he had new information about Chase’s murder, Regan returns to Virginia. She plans to investigate what happened to Tommy and what new information he had uncovered in his investigation into Chase's murder. As Regan begins to look into what happened and tries to meet with Grant, it becomes clear quite quickly that there is a whole lot more going on and someone wants to stop any questions or additional investigations into.

Don't Open the Door is a wonderfully written complicated mystery/thriller/ procedural that will quickly pull you into the plot and hold your attention throughout. Although it is the second novel featuring Regan Merritt, the first is The Sorority Murder, I feel that it can work as a standalone. There is enough background information to bring readers up to speed quickly. (You might want to read it, however, because it is a very good novel.)

Regan is a fully realized character and you will support her in her search for truth and justice. It is unimaginable to have to deal with the murder of a child, but as Regan discovers more information and it seems that there are insiders involved, she isn't sure who she can trust. Her level-headed reaction to information is a perfect character trait. The FBI's involvement makes it worse and more complicated. There are numerous characters but they are all easy to keep track of within the context of the narrative.

The pace is quick throughout with short chapters to keep things moving as the twists keep coming in the developing investigation. The plot is riveting; full of twists, danger, suspense, and surprising information. Regan is a great character as she takes information in and processes what it means. Don't Open the Door is a novel you won't want to miss.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of MIRA.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

Don’t Open the Door is the second book in the Regan Merritt series. While I enjoyed the first book, I thought this one was even better. There were so many twists and turns I wanted to keep on reading and not sleep. Just when I thought I had it figured out something unexpected happened. You will discover so much more about Regan and the death of her son; however, there are so many characters that it can get a little confusing at times. Overall this is a well written action packed story with likable characters. I hope Allison Brennan comes out with another book featuring former US Marshall Regan Merritt.

Thanks to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this advanced copy.

Reviews posted on Goodreads, Amazon, and Facebook.

I throughly enjoyed THE SORORITY MURDERS and was excited when I saw this one. You don’t have to wait long at all for things to start. Right off the bat you have a hit man shooting someone that you most likely thought was a pretty great guy. I did. I actually caught my breath when that part happened. How dare someone shoot Tommy. He’s one of the good guys.

Tommy Granger is working on a case that the FBI says is solved. It isn’t. He’s got lots of circumstantial evidence that Regan’s son may have not been killed for the reasons they thought. Looks like there might be more to it. But will they ever find out? When Tommy is gunned down in his own yard by a hit man Regan returns to find out what happened. She can’t believe he’s dead. Murdered. Why did this happen. What did he find out. So many questions.

Regan left after she buried her son and quit being a US Marshal. She didn’t believe that her job had anything to do with her son’s death but she was just not into the job anymore so moved back to Arizona to start over as much as she could. Nothing could take away her pain and when Tommy said he was investigating her son’s death she didn’t want a part of it but never told him not to pursue it. Now she’s feeling guilt over his death too. Also wondering what he uncovered. What was he killed for. Who did this.

There is a lot going on but not in a confusing way. It’s very easy to follow and the characters each have a say in what is going on. From chapter to chapter you get to know each one and what roll they play in what is going on. Fairly short chapters and very fast paced. This book is a very easy read. Most of the characters I really liked. A few not so much. Pretty much like any good book there are the good and the bad. The liars or unapologetic and the ones that truly felt bad about things. This book brought out some emotions in parts and kept me on the edge. Lots of good twists and turns. Even a big shock too. At least for me.

You don’t have to read THE SORORITY MURDERS to enjoy this book. It has the same US Marshal but you won’t be confused if you haven’t read it. This book is so good and so well written. I look forward to more of Regan. She’s great.

Thank you #NetGalley, #AllisonBrennan, & #HarlequinTradePublishing for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

4.5 stars and I recommend it. Read it and enjoy the ride.

Don't Open the Door by Allison Brennan is the second book in the Regan Merritt series. Great to see this character return for another book!

In Don't Open the Door, Regan learns that her former boss, Tommy, has been murdered. The catch? He had a hunch that there was more to her son Chase's murder than meets the eye, and was actively investigating it. Could this investigation have had something to do with Tommy's death? What had he learned, and now that he's dead, will Regan ever find the answers she so desperately needs about her son's death?

Having read the first book in this series, The Sorority Murder, I was happy to see Regan back for another book! Although I will say, you don't really need to read the first book in order to understand the second - it stands well on its own.

I found this book an incredibly easy read, and hard to put down. I loved the chapters from multiple different characters' perspectives. The chapters were generally fairly short, which I personally love. The pacing of this book is very fast, as it all happens in about a week. It was filled with twists and turns, some very valid red herrings, and interesting new characters.

If you like an easy, thrilling read that will have you picking up a book at every possible spare moment of your day, then Don't Open the Door by Allison Brennan is a great place to start!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC of this excellent read.

I’m sorry to say I didn’t read the first book in the series (yet). I felt a bit lost while reading Don’t Open the Door but the author did do a good job of sharing some background from The Sorority Murder.
With that said, the storyline was interesting though at times it did feel a bit repetitive.
I did enjoy the story and would like to read 1)read the first book in the series and 2)read the next book in the series if there is one.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Much thanks to Allison Brennan, Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA, and Netgalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thanks to Justine Sha for providing the link to the galley. :)

Possible spoilers!

I'm relieved to say I greatly enjoyed this book! I've only read a handful of Brennan's work, but so far it seems to be hit or miss---there'll be a good one, then a dry one, then a good one, etc. But I enjoyed the first Regan Merritt and hoped for the best with this one.

I lost interest in the Quinn and Costa series because I wasn't enamored of the characters, particularly Kate. But I love Regan, find her very sympathetic and relatable. She and I have a lot in common, personality wise. Also, I found her relationship with Grant absolutely fascinating; it was like a reverse stereotype---he was the needy one who wanted emotional connection and romantic gestures, she was the practical one who expected her actions to speak for her. He was the blubbering damsel in distress, she was the strong, no-nonsense, special-set-of-skills hero who kicked ass while he got in the effing way. I appreciate a non-cliche.

My issues with the book:

1. Writers! Please avoid superfluous connections. I.e., don't name a character Lee if they have no connection to Lee Penitentiary. The naming power is in your hands! Avoid confusion!

2. The FBI lady never apologized to Regan like Charlie promised! I know Regan said it wasn't necessary, but it would have been soooooooooo satisfying.

3. Overuse of "obfuscation" and "substantive."

4. Brennan can get long-winded in descriptions, thought processes, and dialogue, probably worse in the latter two than the first. Not horrible, at least not in this novel, but the habit results in some redundancy and slowing of pace.

5. I wish Brennan had specified what kind of drug BioRise had developed that had proven lethal. Details not necessary, beside the point, but holy crap, I'm curious.

That's it, those are the worst sins of this book, in my eyes. And at least two of them, possibly three, could be fixed by a copyeditor, so it's possible the final copy doesn't have these issues.

I would love to ask Brennan why this book wasn't the first of the series, but regardless, I look forward to Regan's future. A renovated apartment and a new job in security---the fresh start Regan needs. I wouldn't object to an adorable but well-trained pet and of course....a love interest. YES PUH-LEASE. (No, really. Please.)

Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA for the advance digital copy of this title for review. All opinions are my own and are honestly given.

In Don’t Open the Door, the second book in the Regan Merritt series by Allison Brennan, Regan finds herself drawn back into the world of the U.S. Marshals service. Regan left the Marshals service after the murder of her ten-year-old son, purportedly by the family of a man Regan killed in the line of duty. Although she always had doubts about this version of events, Regan left the service in the wake of her son’s death, and her marriage crumbled. Now, Regan’s former Marshals boss reaches out to share that he has new information about her son’s murder, only to wind up dead before Regan can speak to him. As Regan attempts to find out what happened, she finds that the answer may be far more complicated and far-reaching than she thought— and that some powerful forces will do whatever it takes to stop her from learning the truth.

I always look to Allison Brennan for an engrossing, tightly-plotted thriller with compelling characters, and Don’t Open the Door is another winner from her. I loved that this book gave us a deeper look at the characters and storylines introduced in her first book in this series, The Sorority Murder. I think that Don’t Open the Door could definitely stand on its own for new readers, but reading both books will give readers a fuller picture of what’s at stake (and they’re both great!). Such an exciting read and the perfect way to start 2023— I would definitely recommend it and think it will make a great purchase for us in physical and digital formats. 4.5 stars.

This was a great continuation of the first book in the series. It was action packed and kept me on the edge of my seat. The suspense was was intense!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

My obsession with crime fiction this month continues with Don’t Open The Door which is the sequel to The Sorority Murder by @abwrites. In the second book of the Regan Merritt series, we learn more about her son’s murder 10 months ago. Her best friend and US Marshall, Tommy Granger has uncovered information about the murder and is murdered himself before being able to disclose that information. Regan finds herself back in Arlington searching for Tommy’s killer and the truth behind her son’s murder.

I really enjoyed reading this crime thriller and found myself not wanting to put it down! I hope that we get more Regan investigations in the future!

Thank you @_mira_books_ and @netgalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

A tangled web of murder and mystery can be found in Don't Open the Door by Allison Brennan, the second book in her Regan Merritt series coming out January 24. Regan’s 10-year-old son Chase Warwick was murdered in his home while playing a video game. US Marshall Regan was devastated and resigned as her focus on the job was no longer clear, and she could put other lives in danger. Her ex-husband placed the blame for Chase’s death on Regan because of her dangerous job, but could it actually stem from something Grant Warwick was involved with?

Regan left Virginia and moved back to Flagstaff, Arizona, to live with her father, a retired law enforcement officer. The murder of her former colleague Tom Granger brought her back to Virginia to find answers as she knew that Tom was really close to solving this now 10-month-old case. Tom was about to share his findings with the US Marshall’s office when he was shot as he stepped out of his door to head to work. The shooter took Tom’s phone and a briefcase that authorities were guessing contained all his important documentation as well as his laptop.

Clues Regan found at Tom’s house pointed her toward her ex, Grant, as Tom’s calendar showed he had a recent meeting with Grant. Confronting Grant at his law office, she saw that he was clearly panicking. He blew off meeting with Regan, not once but twice, and when she went to his girlfriend’s condo to confront him, she found the woman on the floor in a pond of blood. She called the local law enforcement, cleared herself of the crime, and the police slid Grant’s name to the top of the possible suspects’ list. But where was Grant? He was not at his home, he was not at his girlfriend’s place, and he repeatedly skipped meeting with Regan.

Regan put it all on the line when she endeavored to find Grant before the police did so she can get the answers she needed from him. Complicating all of this is the FBI that is investigating the death of US Marshall Granger, yet agents are getting in the way of Regan’s personal probing. Worse, US Marshalls believed a mole in the FBI office had leaked information to whoever was behind all that is going on. Who is feeding intelligence to the bad guys? Who has broken into Tom’s house where Regan was sleeping? Can she defend herself against three sets of footsteps? The situation is definitely spiraling out of control. If she can stay alive long enough to find Grant, she can put the final piece of the puzzle together to understand how her young son happened to be murdered.

Allison Brennan began writing three books a year while raising five children. She won Daphne du Maurier Awards for Best Mainstream Mystery/Suspense with Fear No Evil and Compulsion. She lives in Arizona with her family where they enjoy baseball's spring training and exploring the Grand Canyon.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting January 16, 2023.

I would like to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

This is the second Regan Merritt book and I am very much enjoying getting to know her. Dealing with the death of her son makes this a tough read in places, but I’m glad that Brennan chose to close out this chapter quickly so we can watch Regan move forward.
4.5 stars

If you are not reading the Regan Merritt series, now is a good time to start. This is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone. However, I recommend you read both - they are excellent!

After the loss of her young son, former U.S. Marshal Regan Merritt is living back in Arizona with her family. She gets a call from her former partner who has been doing some investigating of his own into her son's death. Then Regan gets a call that her former partner is dead. She gets on a plane to find some answers.

This is a true thriller with a capital T. The story moves so fast it can give the reader whiplash at times - in all of the best ways. There are so many players and you don't know who to trust. This is a well thought out plot that leaves no stone unturned. I was so invested in the characters - especially a young nurse who was working with Regan's former partner. There were so many suspenseful moments as well. It all led up to an incredible conclusion.

I am truly hopeful that there will be more of Regan Merritt's story. She is a very interesting character. She is definitely someone that you want on your side in a crisis. I also really like her Dad. He is a great character!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA for the advanced reader copy of this incredible book! I'm so happy to have found another great series to read!