Loved this! It grabbed me by page 2 and never let go.
Imagine shopping at a big box store and hearing popping noises. Where does your mind go first? What if you are a police officer and your training kicks in even if maybe your heart isn't really there yet? Could you confront an armed shooter? Could you pull the trigger? If you do, how do you think you would feel and how do you think it would affect you down the road?

Elise has small children, a hubby she loves, a life she loves. All is different now and she wants her previous life back. Her partner Rowan has demons in his past and understands her better than most others, but even he is not allowed into some of her thoughts and plans, which is risky for them both.

Inside the mind of a criminal is where her expertise in teaching lay, but can she figure out someone who has her knowledge and is using it effectively to keep her up at night and feeling threatened? What a great story of what it is like to try to solve a case when missing most of the pieces you need to make sense of it all.

Love her writing and thankful to NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

A long-time fan of author Wendy Walker (my 7th of her books), returns following Don't Look for Me with her latest crime thriller, WHAT REMAINS. A kick-off to her new Detective Elise Sutton series—she saves a life and then becomes caught up in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

As the book opens, Elsie is in a department store, Nichols Depot buying pink towels for her daughters when she hears two pops. She thinks she hears gunshots. Again two pops.

Her partner Rowan (former marine) is circling the parking lot because she said she would not be long. He has his demons.

She has spent 12 years in the department; this is the first time she has drawn a weapon in the outside world. (Strange) Her four years on active patrol had been quiet, and for the last 8, she has worked cold cases. (wow, this is dangerous)!

She has to balance the loved ones missing and dead, the empathy and implications of horrific crime with everyday life. She has never sought the thrill of the chase or a crime unfolding before her eyes.

Now she is here, ill-equipped for what she knows is happening.

She is married to Mitch (who was unfaithful to her 4 yrs. ago), with two daughters, Fran and Amy. She is a cop. One that is being tested. Rowan hears everything on her microphone. He is coming in.

She has a second to react. A shooter is pointing a gun. There is another guy he is pointing to. She yells police officer drop your weapon. The other man moves toward the dressing room, and the gun is aimed at him, and moves with him.

She aims and pulls the trigger. Her life is forever changed. Guilt-ridden, she will worry if she did the right thing. She becomes obsessed with knowing what happened and why? Was he going to kill the other guy? Did the two guys know one another? Did she shoot the wrong guy?

What about the pregnant woman in the dressing room and Wade's behavior she learns of later?

Elsie studied forensics because she was drawn to the order it created—solving puzzles and mysteries. She taught at the local college classes on evidence and crime scenes.

The novel alternates between the shooting, Elsie, and the guy she saved, now her stalker and worst nightmare, and the Kill room.

The kill room is about 36 miles from the department store in a rural area with thousands of acres of woodland in state preservation. No public utilities and a trail to a lookout. Available to licensed hunters for two weeks during the fall to reduce the deep population.

Now there is a body. Two hunters discover the remains. Three years earlier, a man was murdered at the same shelter. The press dubbed it the Kill Room, where hunters take their kill to clean and dress.

This shelter had a wood-burning stove, a well, and a hand pump in the main room. It also had a large animal cremation oven in the basement, which the media focused on when the body was found.

We learn about bones, cremation, DNA, teeth, chemical composition, and the CODIS database. We also learn about how to commit murder and get away with it.

Mind-bending, alternating parts following Elise, Guy 404 (the victim she saved who says he is Wade Austin, but not his real name), now her stalker, and Clay Lucas with mental problems, who found the gun—the shooter.

Told from dual perspectives in alternating chapters, Wade (404) and Elsie. Wade is always one step ahead of her, and she learns he has taken her classes, so he knows how to get around cops and the law.

Detective Elise Sutton is very complex and not a normal cop. She is, at times, unhinged, impulsive, and has fears and weaknesses.

The book started with a bang, and then with the other Kill Room, and the back-and-forth cat and mouse became a little drawn out and repetitive. I did not connect with Elise as a character at all. She seems withdrawn and out there. I cannot put my finger on it, never quite read anything this bazaar.

While I enjoy Wendy's books immensely (an excellent writer, especially the literary suspense) and psychological fiction (her strengths), I was honestly not wild about WHAT REMAINS.

This one does not have the normal literary elements I find appealing and drawn to with her past novels. This is more of a wacky crime suspense. Even though Elise is not experienced with street smarts, her strengths are forensics, planning, and teaching. She is more behind the scenes solving cases.

At times I thought she was as obsessed as the stalker, trying to beat him at his own game. I'm not sure I like this series; however, because this is Wendy Walker, I will try the next one and see if it is different. I had to skip through many parts to get to the end.

You are unsure how the two storylines connect, but with all the crazies, you anticipate where the showdown will occur. I found it drawn out and did not hold my interest. I had high expectations and think I was a bit disappointed. At the same time, this is still four stars for me, just not my usual WW 5 stars. I am sure it will appeal to a certain audience.

If this is your first book by Wendy, you may enjoy it; however, I am spoiled by her writing with her previous six books, so I am comparing it. I am getting a little picky since this is my 183rd book YTD (mostly thrillers), and this is only June 12th, not quite mid-year.

A bit of a cautionary tale/trigger about guns, violence, mental health, and why killers watch shows and read and learn about how to kill. (not a fan). Guns in the wrong hands are readily available for people with mental illness, kids, violent people, or those high on drugs—which is not a good thing in our society of gun control. It must be stopped. Elsie does not make you feel very safe either as a cop.

Thanks to #BlackstonePublishing for an ARC via #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a different publisher, so maybe the difference.

JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 13, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
June 2023 Must-Read Books List

Other WW books I have read or listened to:
Don't Look For Me 5 Stars (FAV)
Emma In the Night 5 Stars
All Is Not Forgotten 5 Stars

#AuthorElevatorSeries QA Interview with Wendy:
Don't Look for Me

Audio
American Girl 5 Stars
The Night Before 5 Stars
Hold Your Breath 4 Stars

Thank you #NetGalley and #BlackstonePublishing for an arc of #WhatRemains in exchange for an honest review.

I read Don’t Look for Me by Walker last year and enjoyed it, so I knew I wanted to read her next novel. What Remains kept me engaged and I’m grateful to have been shared a copy to review.

This novel was told in dual timelines, yet it was easy to keep track of what was transpiring in both. Walker’s approach was skillfully thought through and I felt it all tied together well. Her character development was perfect and contributed to the stage Walker was creating.

When off-duty detective, Elise Sutton, stumbles into an active shooter situation while shopping for towels at a local department store, her life is changed in an instant. While hailed as a life-saving hero, something nags at Elise and she uses her skills as an expert in profiling murderers, which leads to a roller-coaster fast cat and mouse chase. Well written with caring and likable characters this one is a top notch vacation read.

Very cat and mouse and suspenseful but I had a hard time connecting with the main character who didn’t confide in anyone and sought to find her stalker on her own. It would have been good to see the story told also from the antagonist’s point of view to explain what made him the way he was. Well-plotted and smart thriller.

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

I love all of her books. The storyline and characters are always on point. And the storyline line always takes you on a whirlwind ride. Would highly recommend.

Thank you @blondethrillerbooklover @blackstonepublishing @libro.fm for a copy of this book. Wendy Walker is one of my favorite and this book did not disappoint. I was sucked into the story from the first chapter with Elsie saving a life in a Target like store. I enjoyed the aspect of the book how this book explores what happens to the "hero" after a traumatic event. The story alternates between the present and the Kill Room and I was intrigued to see how it all tied together. I love how determined Elsie was to find the mystery man she saved and how she used her smarts to outsmart him.

I alternated between reading and audio and enjoyed both format.

Elise is a police detective who happens to be in a department store and kills an active shooter in the store. She is feeling guilty over if the shooting was necessary and if she saved anyone’s life due to the shooter had not injured anyone. Elise saw a very tall man in the line of fire, but no witness statement from him and she can’t find him until he happens to find her. Her judgment clouded she lets her guard down with this man and he proves to be very deranged. How far will she have to go to get free from this man and him haunting her family due to their “connection” following this shooting.

Twists and turns throughout. Enjoyed the storyline. Characters are well developed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone publishing for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. It has been a long time since I’ve read a police procedural THIS good! From the opening scene to the last page, this story moves at breakneck speed. I kept thinking about the story when I wasn’t reading it. I especially loved how Walker connected everything at the end. It was *chef’s kiss.* You won’t want to miss this one!

Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I have read all of Wendy Walker’s books and she never disappoints. This one might be my favorite, it was definitely a five star read for me, so clever and just so well done! I love a good procedural and this one has quite a twist to it that I absolutely loved. Detective Elise Sutton has her demons she is battling, and if that isn’t enough she is put in a situation where she has to choose one life over the other and is later seen as a hero. However, when she connects with the man who’s life she saved, she quickly realizes he is not who he says he is, in fact, there isn’t anything real about him, and so begins a game of cat and mouse that escalates quickly.

I literally read this in one evening, I could NOT put this down and trust me you won’t either, so get ready for that. Walker’s books are good at getting my heart pounding and she does it again here, but I’m ok with that. She is an auto buy, auto read author, and when this one is out on Tuesday, make sure you are swiftly adding this to your TBR, you won’t regret it!

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing, Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and LibroFM for the advanced copies to review.

WTF 1000x!! Wendy Walker is the master of creeptastic stories that will keep you on edge until the last chapter. The best part is when a twist comes, your jaw hits the floor, and you are completely stuttering WTF just happened!?! How did I not see this??

What appealed to you most in the story?

ALL OF IT!! I’m a huge fan of Walker's psychological suspense novels. Her creativity is gripping and I am always fascinated by the intriguing plots, and boy is this plot very intriguing.

This really is a unique and original story. It’s an emotional, intense, intricate, and thought provoking tale. Kaley and I were constantly discussing our guesses as to who was doing what was and what was going to happen next.

This is also a story that deals with the psychological aftermath of a shooting, but Walker weaves the aftermath with an action packed, mind bending and heart pounding, story. It is genuinely a disturbing drama but with a total what-the-f is going to happen next storyline.

How was the pace?

Mainly fast and at other times steady. Its a story that had me wanting to know what was going to happen next while biting my nails, and I now have no nails left!

Do you recommend this book?

YES!!! Walker is an absolute genius/magician and has created an unputdownable and terrifyingly creepy novel. This is a must read summer thriller!

What Remains by Wendy Walker (3.5 stars, rounded to 4)

[thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours, @blackstonepublishing, and @wendywalkerauthor for the #gifted book and having me on this tour!]

What Remains is a fast-paced, twisty crime fiction read! The action started from the very first chapter (literally) and didn’t let up until the end.

I love police procedural fiction reads, so I was immediately drawn to this book. The cat-and-mouse “game” throughout kept me intrigued. The ending somewhat caught me by surprise - I liked this twist and what it meant for the characters.

This was actually my first Wendy Walker book, and it won’t be my last!

Do you have an author that just always delivers for you? They're consistently great and you don't even need to bother reading the synopsis before hitting "pre-order" on their latest release? Wendy Walker is totally one of those authors for me and therefore it should be no surprise to anyone that absolutely loved What Remains.

This book totally surprised me. I went in blind (because if Wendy writes it, I will read it) so I had no idea where it was going which was super fun. I was on the edge of my seat with the scene in Nichols and could really see the entire situation playing out in my head which was terrifying. Where everything went from there with the 404, Elise and her relationship, and all the secrets was totally thrilling and so fun to read.

I had a hard time putting this one down. Elise made me so mad so many times but I still felt drawn to her and I was always rooting for her.

Per usual, the writing was great. Elise's emotions really came through the pages and I could feel my heart rate accelerating when she was in tricky situations or concerned for the well being of her children. The character development was really well done and the plot was detailed and well executed. Some aspects of the investigation felt a little far fetched but it made for great fiction!

This book almost read like an episode of 24 (remember that show?!) and it would definitely translate well to a mini series!

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the copy! I highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
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She save his life. Now he’ll never let he go.

This line drew me in and I immediately knew that I wanted to read this book! That and the fact that I have read and loved Walker’s books in the past! She just knows how to draw the readers into the books and keep them sucked in throughout the entire book. I loved the characters and just was so drawn to their journey of getting past such a traumatic event. Some readers might find it difficult with parts of the book being about public shootings, so just know that there is that potential trigger at the beginning of the book.

I loved the dual POV and how the story was also focused on what is called a “kill room” set in the woods where hunters will take their trophies to skin and what not. However, it becomes much more sinister where there are remains found there. I read this book so quick because I wanted to find out what was going to happen and how the two POV were connected! Overall, absolutely loved and will continue to recommend her books!
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This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

She saved his life…Now he’ll never let her go. I mean, how could you not be intrigued?

I’m always thoroughly entertained by Wendy Walker’s novels, but What Remains is some next-level 🔥. It’s without a doubt one of my top cat-and-mouse thrillers, where the teacher races to outsmart the student, and it seems like he’s always multiple steps ahead. I absolutely loved What Remains: the characters, the pacing, the idea of a remote cabin kill room. All of it.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to review!

This one hooked me right from the first chapter - very intense. I enjoyed the back and forth between Elise’s narrative and The Kill Room wondering how it would come together. It was so interesting reading about the forensics and how to get away with murder. It was such a good cat and mouse game! Some people may dislike Elise’s decision making skills, as she tends to do her own thing. Elise’s marriage issues seemed to be a little bit of filler and unsure if it was really needed.

A huge thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours for having me along on this tour & to the tagged publisher for my #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review! 🤗

✨𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?

I loved this one! That first chapter was started off with a BANG! WHOA 🤯 I really enjoyed the plot, the writing, and the complex characters. Wendy is absolutely brilliant, and it shows throughout this book. The intensity and the suspense definitely kept me from being able to put this one down. I thought that the dual POVs and alternating chapters really added to the story and helped with building the tension throughout. There were a few surprising twists throughout that I did not see coming. Let me just say that this is one of those books that plays mind games with you, and definitely keeps your attention throughout.

✨𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?

This is more of a crime detective thriller that a psychological thriller-but I loved every bit of it!

✨𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?

All of my thriller friends out there will love and devour this one!!! Go pre-order this one now!


𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.75/5

WOW! What a bingeable, crazy ride this was! @andrea and I devoured this one in less than 2 days! It’s the kind of story that sucks you in from the beginning and then you’re stuck on the crazy train. It’s the kind of story that had me going back and forth between ebook and audio because I couldn’t stop! It’s the kind of story with an ending that makes you hold your breath.

So many things I loved about this one:

•The Plot - an intricate story that I never guessed how it would all tie together (although I did guess one small part 🙌 but never the why).

•The cat and mouse game between Elise and Wade. You never really knew who had the upper hand with all the crazy! And Wade did some 😱 things!

•The dual POV - at first I wasn’t sure how it connected…but then it all clicked in fabulous fashion!

Andrea and I were about to pull out a whiteboard like the cops do and chart all the suspects and connections because we were trying so hard to figure it out 😂

I highly recommend this one!❗️I will warn you that I think the audiobook has a potential “spoiler” that I would not have caught on to while reading the book, but I still didn’t guess it even with that clue 🤦🏻‍♀️

Elise is a cop who works on cold cases. She does excellent police work, but she’s not out in the line of duty. But that changes one day when she’s shopping in a big box store and there’s an active shooter. She helps apprehend the suspect and is hailed as a hero.

But someone takes it a step too far. They are sending gifts and letters to her house and then photos of Elise and her young family. He antagonizes her and makes her so uncomfortable. She’s forced to look into this man, but he carefully covers his tracks. Why is he doing this to her?

What Remains is about getting into the mindset of a criminal to figure out how he thinks. Elise has to really dig into her own worst places to see where he could go next. Her marriage is on the rocks and this opens it much further after she’s not sleeping and truly obsessed with finding the truth. I think you would love this book if you loved the Netflix show, Mindhunter.

Many thanks to @suzyapprovedbooktours, @wendywalker and @blackstonepublishing for my advanced ebook.

What Remains is Wendy Walker’s newest psychological suspense novel. The main character, Elise, is a detective who used to teach a class about how to plan the perfect murder. With all that knowledge, she tracks her stalker, anticipating his every move, but what she doesn’t know is he is using that same information against her.

What I loved most about this book was the in depth journey into criminology and forensics. I also loved the dual investigations into Elise’s stalker and a seemingly unrelated murder in a kill room that hunters use to clean their catches. This book was a cunning game of cat and mouse and you’re just waiting to see who will come out on top.