Such a good thriller with a good twist and some heart pounding scenes!

I didn't know what to expect, but this was a really good story, backed by great writing and convincing characters, flawed and broken.

Steve is a famous reporter from Pittsburgh and he's the beaten down reporter you'd expect, full of skeletons and trauma which he tries to hide under alcohol and cigarette smoke. But he's good at finding the truth and that's what he sets out to do when he finds an anonymous parcel outside his apartment's door. What's inside will end up forcing him to confront his demons once and for all!

I have to say that some of the scenes were so well written that I was biting my nails with suspense and shouting at the characters! I also enjoyed some of the most horrific elements of this book as they did add an edge to the story, and they made the pursuit of the truth so much more compelling.
I found the twist at the end great, although it left me wanting for more for some reason, maybe because throughout the book I knew something was coming and my mind's conjectures made it a bigger deal than it was in the end.

All in all, I highly recommend it as you won't be able to stop reading until you get to the bottom of Steve's quest for truth.

Thank you to the author and Partners in Crime for a copy and this is my honest opinion.

This book was a great mixture of crime fiction and horror, a combination that I don't think gets explored enough. The story is full of mystery, suspense and even a bit of romance thrown in for good measure. At first, I thought the wring style was a bit to wordy and descriptive but I found the style growing on me as I got more into the book. I thought that I had everything all figured out but the twist at the end really surprised me!
Thank you NetGalley, Wicked House Publishing, and Westley Smith for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC in exchange for my opinion.

Please check TW before reading.

Well, what can I say? Dark thriller is a great way of putting it!

This is the first book I read from author Westley Smith and it most likely won't be my last. This story was captivating and kept me guessing until the very end. I do have to say that some of it was predictable for me, although I was not able to guess the ending in its entirety.

The plot twist at the end was great! This story really takes the "eye for an eye" to heart. I had so many moments of surprise with every twist that unfolded. I recommend for anyone that enjoys a very descriptive book filled with suspense, action, and many twists.

I want to thank Wicked House Publishing for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I tried to access the book on my android phone on the NetGalley Shelf App it said "Not authorized" so - won't be able to read/review. Put a 3 star rating because I can't post without giving a rating.

This was a good thriller that managed to get my heart racing! I enjoyed the writing style a lot. However, I had two big gripes with the story. The first is this reporter would be destroying evidence and ruining any chance of prosecution with all his meddling. Two, the graphic descriptions of rape and torture of a teenage girl felt a little gratuitous.

𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄!

One day, reporter Steve James receives a special package containing a driver’s license and a USB stick. The only thing written on the USB stick is - PLAY ME!
From this moment on, everything changes for Steve. The cold case of Rebecca Turner takes him out of Pittsburgh and down into the depths of some shady people in these small towns.

‘Armed’ with cigarettes and his ‘best friend’ Jameson, Steve sets off for Abbottstown & Hanover, Pennsylvania. He wants to learn more about Rebecca and her case. He is assisted by the young reporter Amy Richards, a local.

The author wrote very fluidly and there were several surprises and twists in the book that occurred unexpectedly and yet were plausibly explained.

In general, the book was very interesting and I liked how vividly and in detail Smith described everything. I also liked the (few) more romantic moments and thoughts of the protagonist, they were well written and not too much.
(The author’s writing style is awesome. He manages to captivate readers with his lively and detailed description of characters and environments. I found his ability to build and maintain tension very pleasant. The author has a unique style that is both sophisticated and accessible, making the book a gripping reading experience.)

The main character, Steve James, sometimes irritated me, but at the same time I found him quite charismatic. Apart from his bad habits, he was a good guy.

His colleague on site, Amy, well… she was relatively interesting, even though she sometimes treated him like an errand boy. This was of course partly due to the fact that Steve had rolled up the story anew and wanted to take the lead.

All the other characters in the book… whether smaller or larger, were well written and authentic.

I especially liked the ending and I thank the Author for the twist on the last few pages!
Honestly, I had already guessed some of the elements of this story… but I was still pleased when I noticed towards the end that 'this one, important factor' was exactly as I had imagined it.

Even if I write a bit cryptically at this point, it is only to avoid any Spoilers.
I want you dear reader to enjoy this after all, as much as I did.

All in all, an unexpectedly excellent book. I gladly give this 9.6/10 Stars.

𝑰 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌. 𝑨𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒕 𝒂 𝒃𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌.

This was a good thriller that managed to get my heart racing! I enjoyed the writing style a lot.m. However, I had two big gripes with the story. The first is this reporter would be destroying evidence and ruining any chance of prosecution with all his meddling. Two, the graphic descriptions of rape and torture of a teenage girl felt a little gratuitous.

Westley Smith does a great job in writing this book, it had everything that I was looking for from the description. The concept worked with the genre and I enjoyed how everything flowed in this universe. I enjoyed how the crime reporter element worked with this universe and the characters felt like they were supposed to.

I’m giving this book 3.5 stars because I wasn’t a fan of some of the repeat writing and some of the cussing on repeat (just my preference). The story line in and of itself was great though. I don’t usually gravitate towards this genre but it definitely drew me in when I read what it was about. This was my first ever NetGalley ARC read. So, Thank you for being my first.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. It didn't disappoint! Must read!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5-4 stars!

Steve James is a crime reporter based in Pittsburgh who is thrust into this 25 year old case about a teenage girl, Rebecca Turner, who went missing after a party one night. He teams up with another reporter named Amy from Hanover, PA, where Rebecca went missing, to figure out what exactly happened the night she disappeared. Steve was anonymously sent a USB with a video of Rebecca’s rape and torture, which dredges up old nightmares of his own recorded torture when he was in Afghanistan.

I enjoyed this book a lot! The author really thought the plot out well. Some of the scenes in the book were so nerve wracking and had my heart rate up! This book is full of mystery, a little bit of romance, and sooooo much suspense. I also really liked how descriptive he was! I really could imagine every scene playing out.

Right off the bat, Steve is very passionate about solving this case and getting justice for Rebecca while also working through his own demons, which leaves him kind of blind to the fact that he sometimes misses putting moderately important details together. Steve is a smart guy, but the very obvious clues he couldn’t connect the dots to made me absolutely insane.

There’s also this other storyline of Steve having dirt on this mob boss, and this guy is sending his goons after Steve and threatening him. After finishing the book, I see the connection and how it was integral to the plot, but up until practically the end, it seemed pointless. I wish it could have been tied in a little bit more than it was.

There also were a few typos I noticed, but they weren’t major and really had no impact on the book itself. Another dislike I had about the writing was that the author tended to repeat himself when he didn’t need to. Also, the romance subplot though had me rolling my eyes. Steve had a very high hero complex that just turned me off so much so that I could’ve completely done without the romance.

Overall, I did enjoy this book! It was kind of predictable, right up until the very end that is - that major plot twist really had me! Which is why I rounded up my 3.5 stars to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for sending me this ARC in exchange for my review!

If you want a good read, make sure to pick this one up!

This book was a blend of crime fiction and horror. I cannot imagine how horrible it would be to: first discover so many missing girls, second that if they were easily forgotten no one looked for these missing girls and third they ended up being part of something they had no idea would be so horrible. I appreciate that this author kept things precise and to the point. There were no flowery words or beautiful descriptions just the plain truth of what was happening. It is such a shame that these type of crimes can remain hidden for years. Knowing how many people can be involved or connected is mind boggling. Some say revenge is not the way to go but sometimes maybe that is the only way to get rid of monsters.

I really liked this novel. A crime thriller but not from the police perspective. The ending was shocking. The storyline kept me engaged and trying to solve the crimes.

My first ever @netgalley book and it was a 4 star read for me! Thank you @wicked_house_publishing for sending me this book from Westley Smith to read and review. Let’s get into it…
This story takes place in southern PA. Being from PA, I appreciated the multiple references to Hanover. However, even had I not been familiar with the area, the author did a fabulous job of making the reader “see” the community and what was going on. The story follows an established crime reporter on the story of a lifetime- a 25 year old cold case in which a missing girl is gone without a trace - until her license and a video of her torture surface. The book takes the reader on this chase for truth and justice where you cannot be sure who you can trust. Story is compelling and I read it in one day. I could not put it down and the plot twist? Didn’t see it coming. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ highly recommend grabbing this when it is released on February 2, 2024!

For the first few chapters, I thought the writing was a bit too descriptive. I thought I wouldn't like reading the book, but I was surprised to enjoy the rest and the twists at the end, I really didn't see coming ! It was gore at times, horrible to think that men like these really do exist in the real world.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wicked House Publishing for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

In this novel Steve James, a Pittsburgh investigative reporter, is haunted by memories of his own past torture, when he receives a very unwelcome package in the mail. This package holds another nightmare to add to his personal collection, a video that shows the detailed torture of a teenager who went missing decades ago.

Steve wants to hold back this evidence from the police while he attempts to unravel what he can from this horrific movie. Reluctantly, Steve's boss, gives him a deadline of 72 hours to do so.

There is an additional equally compelling storyline in this novel, as Steve attempts to stand up to mob threats as he prepares to testify against them in a court case.

There is even a touch of romance in this story... It isn't ALL grim, despite it's primary subject.

Although this is told from a reporter's point-of-view, it reads more like a PI novel, or a police procedural, as James is definitely investigating a crime.

If this plot sounds interesting, do not hesitate to buy a copy of this well-written, addictive, compelling book.

I am always thrilled to discover (and write a positive review for) yet another great mystery author, and Wesley Smith fits that description.

By the way, half way through this novel I was SURE I knew who was behind the murders, but in the end I was fooled!

Trigger warning: Detailed rape and torture is depicted in this story.