Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! This one was a roller coaster; at times so suspensful, I couldn't put it down while other times slow to the point I struggled to keep reading. In the end, I'm glad I finished it but what a ride. A very dark story about a man who has been missing for three years, disappearing without a trace. His girlfriend and step-daughter refuse to give up searching; convinced he's still out there somewhere, even after his camper shows up without a trace of him inside. Their travels take them all sorts of places as they search for clues and they soon discover that you can't trust everyone you meet, even if they seem harmless. It was a great story and the ending was very impressive!

Wow. First I want to thank NetGalley and Katie Tallo for giving me the opportunity to read the arc. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it was freaking amazing. It felt like I was in a law and order or criminal minds type movie. Her writing was amazing and I was interested from the first sentence of the prologue.

This is the 3rd book in the Gus Monet series and I wish I would have read the first 2 books before. But I think you can also read this book without having to read the first 2 if you don’t want.

What a pleasant surprise! I had no idea this was number three in a series when I picked it up, but I was not confused one bit and quickly fell in love with its colorful cast of characters. This is a truly effective mystery that kept me guessing until the very end. And what an ending it is! I absolutely loved this and I’m excited to see what this author does next. Five enthusiastic stars!

I would give this book a solid 3.5 stars. I would have had no idea that this is the third book in the series had I not read reviews. It can easily be a stand alone book. It def is a good book and worth a read!

Definitely enjoyed this one - this one has a mother/daughter angle - on a dangerous journey to uncover the truth about a disappearance that occurred 3 years ago. This thriller was entertaining and touches on the unbreakable bonds of family. Apparently this is the third installment - (I haven't read the first two) - but this is still fine as a stand alone. I enjoyed the pacing in this one, plenty of tension builds and this one had a strong atmospheric presence.

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for Netgalley.com for allowing me to read this before publication date!
Mother and daughter on the search for the only father Bly has ever known. Gus is a determined mother who passed on her bravery to her daughter.
Awesome story I read in about 4 days only because 2 hours each day is never enough to finish any book. Highly recommend!

Buried Road by Katie Tallo is a haunting, atmospheric thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows a young woman drawn back to her childhood home, uncovering dark secrets buried beneath its surface. Tallo’s writing is vivid and evocative, painting a chilling portrait of both the setting and the emotions driving the characters. The tension builds steadily, with twists and turns that are both surprising and satisfying. At its heart, Buried Road explores themes of family, trauma, and resilience. This gripping, intricately woven mystery is perfect for fans of slow-burn suspense and richly layered storytelling.

While I did feel like there were time where I enjoyed this book I have to say the biggest hurdle for me was how it was written. This book is supposed to be being told from the POV of a 12 (almost 13) year old girl. But it didn't feel like that throughout the whole story. Sometimes it did but the writing at time felt too mature for a kid that age but then at time I felt like it went to the other extreme where it felt too immature.

Overall the story line itself I felt was pretty interesting. A missing man and even his family swears he's dead. I have a bone to pick with his mom though. The rejection that she showed towards Gus? That's something that I don't know if I could ever come back from.

Overall I enjoyed the book. At times I did find it hard to follow. Maybe because I didn’t realize they were two books prior to this. The plot was good though maybe I just need to read the first two.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Katie Tallo has done it again. I could not put this one down and got swept up in the twists and turns not knowing what to expect next. Highly recommended for thriller fans!

I started reading this knowing it was part of a series and I had not read the other books, but it was still an amazing read and was just fine as a standalone book! Tallo kept me on my toes and wanting more!

Gus and Bly live together in Canada. A few years prior, Gus’ significant other Howard mysteriously vanished on a family camping trip. Both Gus and Bly are heartbroken by his disappearance. Howard’s parents made the decision to have a funeral for him when the camper van he was driving was found empty. Gus is determined to find out the truth and what really happened to Howard, and she’s taking Bly with her.

Pros
So easy to get into and not want to put down
Loved the mother daughter duo
So much action happening that there was always something good

Cons
Some of the chapters were a bit long

After starting Buried Road, I found out it was a series so might have benefitted from reading books 1 & 2. Augusta and her daughter, Bly, are out on a mission determined to find Howard, who has been missing for three years.

The first half of the book builds up a lot of context and background. I found this part to be a little slow ; however, after this, the book picked up and it was quite a pager turner. There were quite a few plot lines that made things a little hard to follow.

I liked that the narrator was Bly (the daughter). It was nice to see a mother/daughter pair working together and leaning on each other like these two.

Really enjoyed this one by Katie Tallo. I felt so immersed in the story and loved the detailed character development - especially Gus! The whole story really came together by the end and I couldn't put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Katie Tallo for an ARC.

These characters were killing me. I think the premise of this novel sounds good, but the characters all seemed to blend together to me. None of them held my attention, or were remotely likeable……with the exception of Howard and Able.
All in all I did have to force myself to finish this. Not to say that a lot of people won’t enjoy it. I just did not find it to be a compelling read.
I recieved an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Bly Money was only nine when her mother’s boyfriend, and by proxy father, disappeared. Now three years later they go back to the scene to investigate.

This has a strong mother/daughter component to it, which is compelling but makes for a slow beginning as it builds up and displays the relationship. It’s a creeping investigation that builds with time and becomes exciting about halfway through once the antagonist is revealed. While this is part of a series, I read it as a standalone. I didn’t feel that I missed anything but of course typically prefer to read series in order.

“There is no time for peace. This is war.”

Buried Road comes out 12/3.

Gus and Bly are on the hunt for the missing piece in their trio. Three years after he vanished, Howard's parents decide to determine him dead they know they need to get to the bottom of things. The ladies believe in their hearts that he is still alive and out there somewhere. They are determined to find him, no matter the cost.
In the small town of Prince Edward County, there are many secrets and lies. And when they find a body, the girls are determined to prove it isn't Howard's. Will they be proven wrong? Is Howard gone for good? And who is there to help. You're left questioning everybody. Who is friend and who is foe?

Stepping into the third book in a series, I was a bit concerned I would be left behind with questions, but it didn't seem like I was lost at all. The character building in this story was great. I loved Gus, Bly, Dod and Lula the most. And let's not forget the kind, gentle, loving man that Howard is built into through memories.
While I enjoyed the storyline, there were times that I spent wishing they would "just get on with it already." Some of the parts went too far into detail about things I felt were unimportant. I rated the book 3.5 stars for that reason only. Had it flowed more quickly it would have been an easy 5 stars. It is likely great for someone who is good with a slower burn. I will, however go back and read book 1 in the series to see if I can get a better idea of the characters and where they came from.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollinsPublishers for an advanced copy of this book.

This book took me a bit to get into.
I think it had to do with my inability to connect to the characters. I don’t know why, the characters were well developed, but I just couldn’t get into their emotional state.
This book is driven by an emotional search for a missing man, and I wish I could say that it was a satisfying ending, but that was another miss.
The ending was bizarre. I saw the bad guys coming from a mile away, but I don’t think I could have told you the specifics of the ending ever in a million years.
This is a 2.5 ⭐️ for me dawg. I just don’t know.

What a book! one of my top books for 2024

In this book you follow and mother and daughter who are trying to find someone they love that went missing three years prior.

It was very well written and will suck you in from page 1! I wasn't sure i was even going to be able to finish it since it is told through a 12 year olds thoughts and perspective. The character development was very well done and just kept you wanting to read.

I will read more from the author this was a fantastic read.

Thanks NEtGalley for letting me read and review.

This book has a great thriller concept….but has an ABSOLUTELY BIZARRE ending and many randomly inserted… things.

Gus Monet and her daughter Bly are looking for Howard, Bly’s adoptive father and Gus’s boyfriend. Bly remembers Howard going to get ice cream, on their family beach vacation three years ago, and never returning. Since, Gus and Bly have been tracking the clues to find him. The police aren’t really doing their job. They will never give up the hope of finding Howard, even though Howard’s parents are moving ahead with his funeral. As Gus and Bly get closer to finding the answers, they begin to realize that there is a more intricate web of deception in the town where Howard disappeared.

The components that bother me about this book are 1. The ending was so strange and random. 2. There are too many random concepts or lines that make no sense to the plot. Insertions of randomly collected items that Bly hopes to use to find her Dad just had me sincerely confused. Here is an example of another randomly inserted piece of information:

“ She grabs the phone and turns on the power. She can’t wait any longer. She taps Howard‘s passcode onto the screen and unlock the phone. He’s had the same one forever. We both know it. It’s my birthday. I lean close as the screen lights up“

It’s my birthday. HUUUUUUH??!!
There is absolutely no follow up to this! 🤣. And the ending…while I can’t share it…was also random.
And yet….the concept of this book is creative!

Many thanks to Net Galley, Katie Tallo, and Harper for this eARC in exchange for my all too honest review.

Buried Road by Katie Tallo is an intense, fast-paced thriller with a chilling edge. The story follows Gus and her daughter Bly as they embark on a perilous road trip to uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of Gus’s partner, Howard. The premise is compelling—Howard vanished three years ago while working on an explosive story, and his sudden reappearance in the form of a shocking obituary leads Gus and Bly back to the small town where he was last seen.
This is the third book in a series. This is my first read in the series. It can be read as a stand alone and the author introduces the characters and story to the readers very well.
It was so well written, and sucked me in. I have to admit, I was a little leery when I saw that it was written from 12 year old Bly's perspective. But it really surprised me! The character development was really well done, and the way that the clues and breadcrumbs were woven into the story were so well thought out.
**Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial for sending me this book for review.*