Riley Fisher is back! (As an FBI agent) After reading The Fields, I was excited to get my hands on another one. I love that I can quickly read these, like watching a crime show. If you enjoyed the 1st book, no doubt you'll enjoy this one as well.

I felt lost when I first began reading this book as I didn’t realize there was one before this one. I think it would have been better had I read the first one. I wasn’t able to connect with the heroine of the story, nor did I like the majority of the characters in this story. This was a well written story, and thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book for an honest review.
Happy Reading Everyone!

I enjoyed this book a lot. I had read Erin's first book and this book doesn't disappoint and you are constantly left guessing as to who did it and who is involved. I loved the landscape of Des Moine and how our protagonist is just starting off with the FBI. She has to track down the sin eater and has to figure out if it's a copy cat from a few years ago. I finished reading this book over a month ago, and cannot remember specific details as to characters, but I can remember places, like the water park. She has an uncanny talent for "creepy".

Would recommend for fans of…
🍎 True Detective: Night Country
🍎 Mare of Easttown
🍎 The Silence of the Lambs

Erin Young’s Riley Fisher books are quickly becoming one of my favorite detective stories! I really enjoyed her debut, The Fields, and was happy to find that I loved the follow-up, Original Sins, just as much.

Original Sins follows newly-minted FBI agent Riley Fisher as she investigates two seemingly unrelated cases – one involving the governor and another involving a serial attacker – that quickly become entangled. The mystery has a lot in common with many iconic and prestigious detective dramas, and as a result, the novel feels like it’s destined to become an HBO series (the first novel is actually in development for TV right now). It’s gripping – I had to force myself to read slower to savor the story – and Young’s writing has a very cinematic feel, making the novel play out like a movie in your mind as you read

This is definitely not a cozy mystery. Like its predecessor, The Fields, it’s graphic and gory at times and in the case of Original Sins specifically, its plot points are borrowed heavily from events of the past few years. As someone who loves her mystery/thrillers DARK this didn’t bother me at all, but if you’re looking for something lighter, you may want to pass on this one.

Original Sins picks up where The Fields left off, so it’s probably best to read the books in order, but there are only two books so it's pretty easy to get caught up quickly. Original Sins is available now. Thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my free and honest review. Suspense filled novel that kept me turning pages faster and faster. Amazing thriller and I can’t wait to go back to the first Riley Fisher novel to catch up, as well as anticipate more in this series to come. Highly recommend this one!

This is the second book in the Riley Fisher series. In the first book, The Fields, Riley is a sergeant with the Black Hawk County Sheriff's department.

In Original Sins, Riley is now an FBI agent and is sent to her first post in Des Moines, Iowa. She is sent to investigate the brutal attacks on women by a suspect dubbed the "Sin Eater." However, this case takes many twists and turns and is much more involved than anyone knows.

I loved The Fields. It was one of my favorite books of that year. Original Sins is also an excellent crime thriller. The author spins an amazing story that keeps you guessing and makes you want to read straight through the night to find out what happens. I hope there will be a third book in this series, because I have become engrossed in Riley's life and where her next case will take her. I recommend this book to anyone who loves crime thrillers or books involving FBI agents. Be sure to read The Fields first as I think it will give you better insight into Riley and her life.

4.25/5

Original Sins by Erin Young is the second book in the Riley Fisher series, and though I couldn't really remember what happened in the first book, it didn't seem necessary to read this installment. Riley, as usual, throws herself into some majorly dangerous situations but manages to come out on the other side because of her quick wits and general badassery. I love her as an FMC and was completely engrossed in the storyline and seeing her character build up a little more.

The audiobook is narrated by Kate Handford which I thought was interesting because book 1 (The Fields) was narrated by Soneela Nankani. I'm not sure why they made this change, and I will be interested to see who the next installment will be narrated by. I personally love Nankani as a narrator and would have liked to see her back, but I enjoyed Handford's narration all the same and would be just fine if she continued to narrate. Parts of this book reminded me of Open Your Eyes by Heather J. Fitt, and it is downright disturbing. Triggers are there and should be checked, but this was a solid mystery/police procedural, and I can't wait for the series to continue!

Thnks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

"Original Sins" by Erin Young is a compelling exploration of human nature, love, and redemption set against the backdrop of a small town rife with secrets. Through richly drawn characters and a relentless pace, Young skillfully weaves together multiple narrative threads, delving into the complexities of morality and the consequences of our actions. The novel's nuanced exploration of right and wrong, along with its evocative prose and unpredictable twists, make it a thought-provoking and deeply satisfying read that will stay with readers long after the final page is turned. Erin Young proves herself to be a master storyteller with "Original Sins," leaving readers eagerly anticipating her future works.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers & Erin Young for my advanced review copy. I was selecting books a little too freely one night, when I requested this one. I'm not a fan of police procedurals, especially series (minus Hamish MacBeth). Giving it three stars because I did try to read it, it just wasn't my jam. Recommended for fans of police procedurals, women in law enforcement, serial killers... aka my dad.

Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and Erin Young

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! Just when you think you have an idea of who, there’s a turn! This book was well written and the story was brilliant. A great crime/law enforcement read. I really enjoyed the pace of the book and how little pieces were dropped that kept you engaged and wanting to find out all the connections. The ending took me by surprise! I now need to read the first book! Riley’s character is fantastic! I really felt sad for Kody and wonder if we will be hearing more about him.

This is book 2 but you don’t necessarily need to read the first one. Although I would say it’s worth it because this was so well written. I loved the plot and the pacing and the FMC. she does fall an awful lot but who am I to judge.

This is the second installment in the Riley Fisher series set in Iowa. Riley is a newly minted FBI agent who is responsible for ensuring the safety of the governor and her family. At the same time, a serial killer is wreaking havoc. Riley investigates to see if there are any connections. This was disturbing at times and highly suspenseful. Erin Young pulls off an outstanding twist. This is definitely a series to watch. For fans of Karin Slaughter and Joanna Schaffhausen.

I really liked this book. It is the sequel to The Fields which I loved!! .

The Sin Eater is brutally attacking and humiliating women for being unholy. Riley is set to solve the case with the FBI.

This one kept me guessing until the very end. I did not see the twist coming. I loved it and I feel like those who enjoy detective/police procedurals would love it too. Even though it is the sequel it could be read as a stand alone!

Thank you to Flatiron Books & Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book!!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Flatiron Books for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

This is the second book in the Riley Fisher series but it can most definitely be read as a standalone. I did not read the first one and didn't feel lost at any point.

I was able to get my hands on both the book and the audiobook (audio was amazing). Kate Handford did an incredible job bringing Riley to life. I swear that her voice made this whole story feel so real; I was so invested. This was the perfect book to get me out my reading slump.

In this book, we find that Riley has worked herself up from police to federal agent. Now as an FBI Agent, Riley is thrown into a deep search to find a serial killer, "The Sin Eater", who has been terrorizing and killing women all over the city.

This book had me in a chokehold; I couldn’t put it down. I would switch to audio often just to keep going. I loved that although it was a police procedural type of book, it was not complicated at all. I am not a fan of books that fixate too much on technicalities.

I didn't rate it 5 stars simply because I was left wanting more from the ending, but it also somewhat hinted towards the possibility of another book. Still, very much worth the read!

Read this if you like:
- mysteries
- crime shows
- books about women who taking back their power

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, Macmillan Audio, and the author for this ARC/ALC.
Pub date: Available now!

Find me on IG! @ coffeebreakwithrachel

This is the second installment in the Riley Fisher series but can be read as a standalone. Riley transitioned from being the sergeant of her small-town police force into a new position as a rookie FBI agent. In her new post, she is tasked with investigating a threat made against a female governor. She discovers disturbing connections between her first case and the hunt for the Sin Eater, a serial killer terrorizing the Midwest. At its core, Original Sins is an exciting and gruesome serial killer thriller and FBI procedural, but it is also more than that. Written during the pandemic, Young also wrote nuanced and thoughtful commentary on very real issues. Overall, I enjoyed Original Sins, and I will keep following along as Riley Fisher finds her footing in the Bureau.

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

I enjoyed this book, and was also a fan of the first book featuring Riley Fisher, THE FIELDS.

A serial attacked dubbed The Sin Eater is brutally attacking and humiliating women that he believes to be "unholy." Riley is out to crack her first FBI case.

This one kept me engaged all the way through, and I did not see the twist at the end. Compared to the first book, this one started out a little slower, but quickly picked up.

Overall, I would recommend it to those who enjoy police procedurals.

This mystery is the second book in the Riley Fisher series follows Riley as she starts her new position as an FBI agent in Des Moines, Iowa. In Des Moines, a serial attacker known as the Sin Eater has struck again - putting more pressure on the investigators to catch the perpetrator. Riley hits the ground in her new position running after being tasked with investigating threats against the city's newly elected female governor. But when the Sin Eater investigation, the governor threats, and Riley's own partner all converge, there might be more to this new position than Riley expected.

As usual with police procedural series, it isn't strictly necessary to read the books in order as the main investigation plots are self-contained. I did read the first book in the series - The Fields - and really enjoyed it (review linked here) - however, I think this would work very well as a stand alone. There is a pretty large gap of time between books 1 and 2, so even the personal life details we get in book 1 have changed significantly by book 2.

Young writes in the acknowledgements section at the end that this was her quarantine book and the inspiration certainly comes through. We get a good amount of the political climate of the time coming into play and I liked the political suspense/thriller aspect which was also an aspect I enjoyed in the first book in the series. I think Young does a good job of balancing the political threads in with the more standard police procedural plot lines. I would not be one to pick up a straight up political thriller, but I enjoy the parts we get in this read.

Along with the political aspect, we also societal tensions around women and their 'place' in society. There is a lot of language around women knowing their place, and being punished if they step out of that very restrictive role that some men think they should be in. Also, we do see a number of Sin Eater attacks on page, and the viciousness of these attacks is not held back. For me, these parts were a pretty visceral reading experience, but I could see someone with personal experience in these types of situations having a hard time reading them.

I loved the Sin Eater investigation and was very invested in that plot line. I found it the perfect amount of twisty and it had a lot of areas for Riley and the team to look into. Riley - and thus the narrative - bounces between the Sin Eater investigation and the governor protection plot but I found myself much more invested in the Sin Eater side of things. I found the narrative style to feel a little disjointed at times when switching between the two plots. I think this was probably done on purpose as Riley finds herself equally torn between these areas of her job, but it did take me out of the reading experience just a bit.

We get multiple POVs and I think Young does a fantastic job at using the different POVs to deepen the story. We get Riley, the governor, and a character close to the Sin Eater plot. At first, I wasn't sure if the multiple POVs were necessary since Riley was investigating both other plots, but by the end I think each POV helped bring all the moving pieces together. The ending resolution is a little complex, but I think it would feel very messy and out of left field if we were only following Riley. Having the other POVs help give the reader some background information to give context to some of Riley's investigation threads which helped me feel like the ending reveal was more grounded than it might have otherwise felt.

Overall, this was another good procedural/mystery/political thriller read from Young and I look forward to reading on in the Riley Fisher series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC. Expected publication date is February 13, 2024.

I really enjoyed reading Original Sins. I wasn't aware this was a continuation of a previous book but it didn't keep me from liking it nor did I feel lost or like I couldn't enjoy it on it's own. The story line was unusual and very interesting. I really liked Riley Fisher and look forward to reading more about her in the next book of the series.