“Buried Road” is Katie Tallo’s third installment in her Gus Monet series. I had read the first two books so I was excited to read this one early.

This book was slightly different than the earlier ones. In this book, the narrator is Gus’s daughter, Bly. Three years earlier, while on a camping trip, Gus’s boyfriend and Bly’s father figure disappeared. Howard was a journalist and had been working on a story that involved the area in which his parents lived and owned a winery & vineyards.

After Gus spots Howard’s obituary in the paper that was placed by his parents, she and Bly head back to Prince Edward County to investigate. Gus, in particular, remains convinced that Howard is not dead and decides to investigate further. Her search has her following in Howard’s footsteps to learn more about the story he was working on and find out what happened to him.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and hope there’s another book in the series for us to catch up with Gus and Bly. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

Once I finished this book, I realized this is the 3rd book in the Gus Monet series. But that is okay! Buried Road can be read as a stand-alone! I do plan on reading the first 2 books because I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and I’m interested in reading more about Augusta (Gus) Monet!

Buried Road is a book that sucks you in right from the start! The mother-daughter duo was so well done as they navigate a high stakes situation and uncover clues to the disappearance of Howard. It is told from the young daughter’s point of view which I really enjoyed. With lots of heart pounding moments and a unexpected twist, this book is one wild ride!

I was unable to finish this book and thus will not be posting a full review. I found the story confusing and haphazard. I appreciate the chance and your consideration.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.

Maybe bc this is a series and I haven’t read the others I found it hard to connect with this story. I felt like it has a lot of characters and the story lines were really chaotic. It often felt like things were happening for the sake of something happening and not for the sake of the story.

Augusta "Gus" Monet and her daughter Bly don't believe that Howard Bayliss is dead. It's been three years since he went missing and Gus continued to look for him after everyone else had given up on him. When the camper van is found Gus and Bly take action in searching for Howard. They follow the leads that Howard left for them. Someone doesn't want Gus looking into Howard's disappearance and will stop at nothing to make her stop. What will Gus and Bly learn? Find out in the Buried Road.

I would like to thank HarperCollins Publisher for this ARC via Netgalley.

I had no idea this was part of a series. It definitely works as a standalone and had excellent writing. I was able to predict what happens, so it lost the surprise aspect, but overall a good book.

I did not realize this was the third in a series! What a great stand alone book, although now after reading about Gus and Bly, I will certainly be going back and reading the others. This book started out a little slow for me but I am so glad I stuck with it. It ended up completely captivating my thoughts to the point where I stayed up well into the night to finish it because I absolutely could not see the ending. A must read thriller full of twists that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Buried Road by Katie Tallo is a very highly recommended mystery/thriller which features the return of amateur investigator Gus Monet, this time joined by her daughter 12-year-old Bly (Boo).

Journalist Howard Baylis, Gus's partner and the only father Bly has ever known, disappeared when Bly was 9. They were on a camping trip when Howard went to meet a source for a story three years ago and was never seen again. They spent a year looking for him with few clues. The two have missed him every day since, so they were shocked to see his obituary in the paper and that his parents are having a memorial service in three days. The two head back to Prince Edward County, the location where he was last seen and where the memorial service will be held.

Once there, they discover the camper Howard was driving has been found and Bly secretly finds clues to Howard's movements three years ago, including his notes and phone. The two recreate their clue wall in the camper and resume their search for Howard based on the new information they have found.

Although it can be read as a standalone novel, it was exciting to read Buried Road after enjoying the previous two books featuring Gus. The first book featuring Gus is Dark August (takes place when Gus is a young adult and she investigates her mother's last case before her death when Gus was 8 years-old) which is followed by Poison Lilies (when Gus was pregnant with Bly and meets Howard).

Bly is the narrator in this compelling, well-written mystery and she helps Gus in their search for clues. I quite enjoyed Bly as the narrator as Gus can be extreme and over-the-top. Gus is a tenacious, obnoxious character, but this is tempered by Bly who is careful and thoughtful. They are both written as fully realized, realistic individuals that encounter a cast of memorable supporting characters.

The pace is even at the beginning but then picks up as more information and clues are uncovered. The trail is cold, but becomes clear that they are on to something because they also are encountering resistance and it becomes increasingly unsafe. You have to set some disbelief aside, which was easily done as the action and danger increases. The setting itself becomes an important part of the intricate plot. 4.5 rounded up.

Another great novel by Katie Tallo! Thanks to HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Such a weird and twisty thriller with like three plots going on that ended up converging nicely in the end?

The perspective and writing on this really really worked for me. It felt unique and compelling. Having it all be from Bly’s point of view gave it a lot of nuance, it handed the reader just enough information but never quite enough to piece it together until it was laid out.

This was incredibly enjoyable and, while a little slow in the beginning, became a raucous ride towards the end.

I didn't realize this was the third book in a series, but it's a great stand-alone. I love the dynamic between Gus and Bly - an inseparable Mother-Daughter Duo who won't stop at anything to uncover what happened three years ago to their Howard. The whole town is against them, and everyone has their own buried secrets to uncover.

A good bit of this book was a slow burn, and I was pretty bored at times. The last 20% absolutely picked up and I loved the ending! The big twist completely caught me off guard. I am looking forward to reading the first two of this series.

I really enjoyed buried road - it was easily a 4 star read! I definitely wish I had read books 1&2- not because I felt anything was missing or they aren’t capable of being standalone books but honestly because that’s just my preference of how to read books in a series.

I enjoyed the mother/daughter angle of this story. It felt well written but I did feel at times like it was a slow burn and I got a bit bored.

That didn’t keep me from enjoying it and thinking it was worthy of 4 stars!

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

Well I am proud of myself for finishing this one! I was looking forward to reading this book, but didn't realize this character was in other books by the author. I didn't love this story being told by a child, even though it was probably the point, the writing felt lackluster to me. There were too many characters in the story, it was hard to follow along.

I would give this a try if you like Mystery books, however this one was just not for me!

This is my first book from this author. I would definitely read more from her. The book kept me guessing and is full of twist.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of the book.

This was a solid 3-star read. I didn't realize it was the 3rd book of a series, but it works as a standalone. Felt like there were a few too many characters to keep track of. Writing was smooth and kept my interest.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial Publishing for the arc of Buried Road by Katie Tallo.

This is in my top 5 of 2024! Buried Road is captivating and page turning to the very last chapter. Tallo’s writing had me hook by page 3.

It’s been 3 years since Howard vanished leaving Gus and Bly at their family camp site. While on a family trip Howard, a reporter, was chasing a story in his home town. Howard leaves Bly and Gus in their family’s camper van to meet a source but he never returns. Bly and Gus stay with Howard’s now affluent family awaiting a response from PPO or his return. Local law enforcement quickly deems Gus crazy and dismisses her beliefs Howard is alive.

Fast forward 3 years later when the camper is found and his parents attempt to “bury” Howard with no body. Gus and Bly start their search all over again because everything is a clue and a sign. Finding his phone and notebook they are determined to find Howard.

A novel of love, loss, trauma, and hope that is worth every page.

Pub Date: December 3, 2024
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4 stars out of 5 on this crazy thrill ride!

I thought the book started out slow but the build up was necessary. I literally stayed up until 1am finishing this because I got so hooked into it. So many twists and turns that you never expect! I loved the relationship between Gus and Bly - the way it’s explained throughout the story makes me feel like they rely on each other so much more than a normal mother/daughter relationship. I found my jaw dropping at certain parts especially the closer to the end of the book we got.

I didn’t know this was a series and feel like this can definitely be read as a stand alone. I will be going to read the first two in the series though!

this is the kind of book that keeps you up reading until 2am. I couldn’t put this down, especially after the first few chapters.

First of all, I absolutely loved the mother and daughter dynamic between Gus and Bly. Was Gus an irresponsible mother? Yes, but you can tell she loved Bly so much. Their dynamic of working together to find Howard made the book fantastic.

It is a cat and mouse game throughout the book, with so many twists and turns. There were so many clues along the read, and it really made the last few chapters dynamic to see how everything came together. It was twisty, smart and compelling storytelling. I just had to know what was going to happen.

If you are looking for a fantastic mystery, this is for you. It definitely starts as a slow burn, and then it leads down a really fun read. Read this if you enjoy putting puzzle pieces together and trying to solve a mystery.

I believe this is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone.

This book comes out December 3rd. Thank you to @netgalley and @harperperennial for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own. And huge thanks to @katietallo for such engaging storytelling!

Buried Road follows a young girl and her mother as they attempt to discover what happened to Howard, the mother’s boyfriend, 3 years ago when he disappeared. It is told from the point of view of Bly, the 13 year old girl. This book hooked me right away, and I was 100% invested in finding out what happened to Howard. The character development of Bly was fantastic, and I found myself getting angry, sad, scared, etc. right along with her.

I did find that some of the more action-packed scenes felt choppy when reading, due to a lot of short sentences that talked about one detail each. I also became confused a few times with some of the supporting characters (cops) due to them not being called the same name consistently.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing until the very end.

“Buried Road” by Katie Tallo is an atmospheric and haunting mystery that delves deep into the secrets of a small town and the lives that intersect there. Tallo crafts a slow-burn thriller that grips you with its eerie setting and carefully layered plot, pulling you into a world where the past refuses to stay buried.

The novel’s strength lies in its complex, flawed characters, particularly the protagonist, who is drawn into unraveling the truth of an old crime while grappling with her own personal demons. Tallo deftly weaves a narrative that balances the tension of a mystery with introspective moments of character development. The story explores themes of guilt, redemption, and the consequences of choices that ripple through time.

“Buried Road” is not just a typical thriller—its emotional depth and psychological tension elevate it, making it as much about the journey of self-discovery as it is about solving the mystery. The writing is evocative, with a cinematic quality that brings the desolate, almost claustrophobic landscape to life, amplifying the sense of unease.

For readers who enjoy a moody, character-driven mystery with emotional resonance, “Buried Road” is a compelling and immersive read that will leave you thinking long after the final reveal.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to provide my honest review

I could not put this book down! It had me on the edge of my seat, continuously turning the pages, eager to find out what happened next. I was a bit apprehensive at first when I realized it was written from the POV of 12 year old Bly, thinking that it may read more like a YA novel, but it was quite the opposite. Bly is smart, witty, and probably the coolest 12 year old in a book I've ever come across. She clearly gets her drive and determination from Gus, and it was awesome to see her character development and her increased confidence in herself. I really enjoyed this story from her perspective - I would also love to read it from Gus' perspective as well!

The best part about this book for me is that I wasn't able to predict the ending, it was a total twist that I didn't see coming! The characters that I suspected to be involved may have been, but not at all in the way I originally thought. I enjoy a book so much more when the breadcrumbs fool me - it's not as fun when you solve it in the first few chapters and have to suffer through the rest.

I didn't realize that it was part of a series, and while I will absolutely be reading the rest now, I think this book does a great job standing on it's own and tells us enough about the characters and the situation to not feel as though we're missing anything from the first couple books. This is the first book I've read by Katie Tallo, and I can't wait to read more.

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, and Katie Tallo for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
(Review will also be posted on GoodReads!)