Riley Fisher has left her role as a police sergeant and is now a new FBI agent. She returns to her home in Des Moines, Iowa and is immediately uncomfortable with her field office team. She’s tasked with the death threat against the new female governor, as well as the hunt for a serial killer who was never caught. Riley believes the two cases are intertwined, but she is a rookie with low self esteem. This premise is intriguing and well thought out. I did struggle with Riley’s repetitive thoughts about her role in her family which seemed to slow down the pace. However, as the story became more complex and the characters more developed, the book was hard to put down. The cold and snowy weather in Iowa was like another character. Original Sins evolved to a suspenseful and dramatic conclusion. With thanks to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

A brutal attack on a young woman kicks off Riley Fisher’s hunt for a serial attacker. New to the FBI, her first case is a difficult one. During her investigation of the attack, the mayor receives threats to stop her from achieving her goals for female equality in Des Moines. Riley notices a connection between the attacks on women and the threats to the mayor, but proving her theory puts her into dangerous situations. On her quest to find the truth, the person behind the attacks, and the one sending the threats, she must navigate her new position, partner, and boss and demonstrate to herself she is worthy of being an FBI agent.

The story is fast-paced, and the case is intricate and kept me interested until the end. I find that Riley's personal life didn't affect her or add to the storyline enough, and the statements about women’s issues are too obvious, too close to the surface. Other than that, the book is really good.

I think many others interested in crime and procedural novels will like the book as well.

I'd like to thank the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you!

#OriginalSins #NetGalley

Riley Fisher is no longer a detective in her hometown but now with the FBI. Her first placement has taken her away from her family and support network as she seeks to find her way in Des Moines, IA. As a rookie, she is paired with a more experienced agent who is none too happy about the arrangement. He does everything he can to keep Riley out of the case involving women who are attacked and beaten almost to death by someone the press has labeled as the "Sin Eater," a moniker used in the past for a perpetrator now in prison. The survivors of the attacks recall their attacker saying things that reference "Eve" and the story about the garden of eden. When the female governor of Iowa receives threats to her and her family, saying she should know her place and not be in a position of authority, Riley is called upon to help with keeping the governor and her family safe. She is also trying to find the perpetrator of the violent attacks on women. The investigation takes twists and turns, sometimes putting Riley in danger as she does not follow direct orders. It's an interesting read that would have been enhanced by some consultation with a biblical scholar about the connections between attacks and the stories in Genesis.

This book is the perfect example of how to foreshadow without dragging it on and confusing the reader. I wasn't a fan of the romance but it is a series so I know the author is saving it for future books but I wish more happened with Logan. The only reason this is 4 stars is because Kody wasn't written as well so I felt like pieces were missing. Overall I could not put this book down it was so good.

While this is the second book about Riley Fisher, it can be read as a standalone (I have the first book on my TBR, but I haven't read it yet!). Riley Fisher is a newly appointed FBI agent, though she has several years of law enforcement experience under her belt. Assigned to a small office in Des Moines, she gets caught up in a plot against the female governor and an investigation into a serial killer while dealing with a stand-offish boss and a secretive fellow agent. Great suspense and drama that kept me hooked until the end!

Thanks to Flatiron Books for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.

ORIGINAL SINS is the 2nd novel featuring Riley Fisher. It is a standalone novel that doesn't require the reader to have read Erin Young's early book to get invested in Riley's character.

SUMMARY: Riley Fisher, a police sergeant from a small town has moved to the big leagues. After completing her time at the Academy, she's now a rookie FBI agent. Older than most new agents, Riley struggles with issues of self-esteem and wonders if she's set herself for failure by joining the Bureau.
Her first assignment is in her hometown of Des Moines. She's got a Field Office chief who is a less than welcoming, a partner that may or may not be trustworthy, and family obligations that are pulling her in multiple directions. She's also dealing with the apparent return of the Sin Eater, a serial killer who terrorized the city in the 1990s and a kidnapping plot against Iowa's first female governor. Desperate to prove herself, Riley doesn't have time to settle into her new role before she's deep involved in both investigations.

OVERALL: ORIGINAL SINS is a compelling thriller that captures the reader from the first chapter. Riley is an interesting character trying to overcome both her own self doubts and her complicated history. There are times when Riley's constant questioning of her own decisions become repetitive but the story isn't bogged down by it. It is refreshing to not have the rookie be 'superwoman' or the 'smart outsider detective'. Riley is both headstrong and naive which help to humanize the character instead of a cookie cutter characterization of a female lead.

ORIGINAL SINS is a strong suspenseful story that holds the reader's attention. The story has some obvious red herrings but the ending will not disappoint.

Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron books for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Pub Date 13 Feb 2024 | Flatiron Books

SUMMARY
Amid a treacherous winter in Des Moines, Iowa, newly promoted FBI agent Riley Fisher is tasked with assisting in the hunt and capture of a serial killer. The Sin Eater, who has been in hiding for nearly thirty years, has re-emerged, stalking and striking women throughout the city. As with any new job comes new challenges; for rookie Riley, it is no different. While hunting for The Sin Eater, Fisher is bogged down by her demons and those among her colleagues. Riley often considers her Quantico and FBI training, but will this be enough to solve the city's most futile case?

REVIEW
Original Sins by Erin Young is dark, mysterious, and exhilarating! While reading, I kept finding myself unable to put the book down. With just the right amount of foreshadowing, along with the twists and turns, I was hooked! Riley is likable, and her complexities and abilities grip the reader in the best way possible.

Because Riley is such a complex character, I wanted to better understand both her and Kody's innermost thoughts and become gripped by them on a deeper level. I feel through the third-person text, that wasn't achieved. The book would have been much more intimate with a dual first-person point-of-view.

The ending had me longing for more, but I suspect more may come since this is Riley Fisher's second appearance, her first being in that of The Fields by Erin Young, specifically regarding Erin's potential romantic interest, Logan. Though the ending happened as it did, there was a lot of room for potential in Riley's personal life that left the reader wanting more.

Overall, I enjoyed Original Sins by Erin Young.

I am so thankful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC copy of Original Sins in exchange for my honest review!

This was a compelling read, that I found I did not want to put down! Great, multi-faceted characters. Very interesting plot. Vivid descriptions. Suspenseful and thrilling. Kept me intrigued from the first page to the last. Simply a GREAT read!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

Let me first start out by saying that as soon as I concluded this book, I immediately ran on over to Amazon to pre-order a copy. I loved this book so darn much I know I will be reading it for years to come as well as wanting this insane cover showcased on my bookshelf.

Original Sins, I absolutely loved the title. Mysterious, sexy, and intimidating... I had to know more.

I read Erin Young's debut, The Fields, last year and fell in love with her writing style. I knew right there I would read everything she publishes to follow. When I saw Original Sins hit the circuit, I knew I just had to have it! I crossed my fingers and prayed to the good ole book fairies.

My prayers were answered and this book delivered!

This is a dark, suspense, crime fiction thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat riddled with anxiety. I can not brag about this book enough but I will tell you that this book is going to break the internet. Don't believe me ? Check out this teaser!

It’s a brutal winter in Des Moines, Iowa, and the city is gripped by fear. A serial attacker known as the Sin Eater is stalking women and has just struck again. It’s a tough time and a tough place for Riley Fisher, a former small-town sergeant, to be reporting for duty as an FBI agent on her first assignment.

Teamed with a man she’s not sure she can trust and struggling to prove herself—while fighting the pull of her old life and family dramas—Riley is tasked with investigating a vicious death threat against the newly elected female state governor. Gradually, she traces a disturbing connection between this case and the hunt for the Sin Eater. Through snow, ice, violence and lies, Riley Fisher is drawn towards a terrifying revelation.

This talented author has written a page turner set in Des Moines. Red herrings kept me from guessing the ending easily. The characters are realistic and keep the story moving. Some of the language could be left out as it deters from the main storyline. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher and the author. I will recommend this book to others as the past joining the present is a perceptive concept. If killers are not caught, do they return to kill again? A thoughtful perceptive way of thinking.