Vera Boyette is living in Fayetteville settling into her life as a criminal analyst. Asked by the sheriff to help with a case of kidnappings, Vera agrees, realizing that being in close proximity to her first love, Benton, just might not be a good idea.
But what seems like perplexing kidnappings soon take a turn when they become personal and lead to a killer that Vera put in prison. Stalking, murder and a ruthless psychotic killer turn up the heat for Vera and she needs to find the killer before he finds her. Great characters and high tension makes this one of the author’s best books. I voluntarily read this arc from Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishers. This review is my honest opinion of this very enjoyable book.

I read the ARC on Netgalley.

Wow what a book. I am surprised that there isn't a Netflix series on this one. The main character is a really strong, intelligent woman, for that matter all main characters are really well fleshed out. The plot is also really great.

The ghosts of her past catch up to vera as a serial killer whom she had caught 15yrs ago reappears.

Outstanding book!

This latest book by Debra Webb offered a decent suspenseful read. The premise was interesting and kept me somewhat engaged. While the story had its moments, it didn't fully grab me and I had a hard time connecting with the characters. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

★★★★★

“I see you.
I'm intrigued by you.
I'm going to enjoy killing you."

It’s been seven months since Vera’s return to Fayetteville, TN, and she’s enjoying her role as a consultant. Bent, the local sheriff, requests her help with a missing person case. It appears to be connected to a string of unsolved disappearances in the area—and the most recent victim is the local reporter who had been investigating the case. Suddenly, Vera uncovers evidence suggesting a serial killer might be behind it all: The Messenger, whom she put behind bars twelve years ago...

Oooh, this one was twisty—I couldn’t put it down! This was my second book by Debra Webb, and I really enjoy her writing. The character development is phenomenal. I feel like I am right there in Fayetteville, solving crimes alongside Vera and Bent.

Their personal history is a big part of the series, but it’s never overly dramatic and doesn’t take away from the investigation. When Vera’s former partner, Eric, joins the case, the three work together well and don’t let personal feelings get in the way. Let’s leave the drama to the serial killer—and what an unhinged character he turned out to be!

It’s great to hear how much fun Debra Webb is having with the Vera Boyett series, because I am having a lot of fun reading it and I am hoping for many more installments! Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Debra Webb for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This was such a fun, intense read. I got pulled in right away and kept flipping pages because I had to know what was going on. Vera is a really interesting main character, as she’s dealing with a lot, There were some genuinely surprising twists, and I was guessing right up until the end.

I didn’t read the first book, and while this one stands on its own, I think I would’ve enjoyed it even more with that extra backstory. It was overall a solid thriller I would recommend to others.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read the ARC

Loved this book! I’m grateful that I was given the chance to read an ARC copy of this, beautifully written !

4 stars!!!

Closer Than You Know is the second book in the Vera Boyett series. This can be a stand-alone read, but I believe it is best to read the first book since there is quite a bit of history which sets the stage for this one.

Vera gets a call from 'Bent' about a new case. She is feeling a bit lost after her career was destroyed by tragedy. She jumps at the chance to use her skills. It soon becomes clear that the killer has his sights set on Vera he begins a game of cat and mouse. When Vera's sister Eve goes missing, Vera will have to dig deep and use all here talents to find the Messenger and stop him before it is too late.

The story is a wonderful addition to the first book. The characters are wonderfully written as well as dynamically three dimensional. It is fascinating to watch the story unfold as if you had a front row seat.

It‘s the second book with crime analyst Vera - a good read that entertains with storyline and writing style!
I‘m always short in reviews of crime books - no spoiler!

Thanks a lot to the publisher for the ebook!

In CLOSER THAN YOU KNOW by Debra Webb there have been three unexplained disappearances around the county and someone calling himself the Time Thief sends Nolan Baker, who is looking for a story to help his career as a reporter, a message to tell his side of the story regarding the disappearances. When Nolan goes to meet the Time Thief, he is unexpectedly drugged. Vera Boyett, who had spent 15 years as a Memphis cop and resigned as chief of police for the Memphis Police Department, joins the search for the Time Thief’s latest victim, Nolan Baker. Vera is now a crime analyst and no longer a police officer, but the victim’s mother knows Vera and asks her to get involved. Nolan, left unconscious at the scene, may be in more trouble than expected. Can Nolan be brought to safety? Who is the Time Thief, and what is his story. What part will Vera play? I have many questions and read on.

I like that the plot gets a good start in the first couple of chapters. Overall, the plot is good but a little long-winded. The characters are interesting, and I immediately want to know more about them. I am interested in reading future books in the Vera Boyette series. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of CLOSER THAN YOU KNOW.

Closer Than You Know
by Debra Webb
Pub Date: May 6, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
From USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb comes the riveting return of crime analyst Vera Boyett, fighting for justice—and her life—amid her Tennessee roots.
A compelling, thrilling mystery. This book did not disappoint! I loved this rapidly moving investigative thriller. If you're looking for a thriller to immerse yourself in, this one might be for you!
Do yourself a favor and read the first one in the series before you read this one!

Easy to read msytery with a lot going on. This 2nd book in the series contiues build on the history of the sisters but with that storyline and the main mystery it was a lot to keep straight. You can definitely read this as a standalone if you want.

My Review
☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️

Closer than you know.

Well written, phenomenal story.

Will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Vera Boyett has a sadistic killer out taking the lives of those around her. Saving the ones she loves. Will be a challenge. But Vera working close with the sheriff nothing can stop her.

Some secrets come to life within the story from the past.

I love how this second book in the series. ties into the first book. Simply a fabulous read.
This author's work is a absolutely must-read.

Simply the perfect read.

Debra Elaine Webb

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read the first book in this series last year and I was very excited to see the second one on NetGalley. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this one quite as much as the last. I had a hard time remembering who characters were from the previous book and there wasn't much recap in this one to jog my memory as I went along, leaving me a bit confused at times with what was being referenced. The storyline was also very slow and predictable, taking me longer to read the book in it's entirety than I usually do.

This book was still enjoyable enough and I might have liked it more if I read the series in succession instead of spaced months apart, as I would have been much more aware of the backstory.

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

They say that you can never really go home again.

Vera Boyett is finding that to be true. She's left the Memphis Police Department under some pretty sketchy circumstances and wandered back to the familiar. The familiar is Fayetteville, Tennessee. Small town......big happenings.

Now here's where I would encourage you to read the first book in this series: Deeper Than the Dead (2024). Closer Than You Know can certainly be read as a standalone, but you'll miss out on all the accumulating dead bodies from that one that shift into this one. You've got to get a true picture of Vera Boyett and her relationship with her quirky family. And then there's the highly handsome Police Chief Gray Benton also known as Bent. He and Vera have "a thing".

When a local reportergoes missing, Vera is called in. There are too many coincidences with a serial killer that Vera put behind bars in Memphis. Copy Cat or simply a new version in the making?

Closer Than You Know is still a good read, but there's a whiff of formulaic writing happening here. As in the movie Casablanca, pick up the usual suspects. Vera will be in danger herself. As I've experienced in Deeper Than the Dead, Debra Webb can certainly write well. It's with this intention that I'd look forward to the next offering in this series. And you will, too, after reading the first book. Get your toes wet and then dive in.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to Debra Webb for the opportunity.

Read this is about two days, and I loved it. This was my first book about Vera and her sisters. There were references to a previous book that would have been useful, but there was enough to umderstand this story. ( I am hunting for the first one. I liked this one enough that I am interested in how they were introduced.) Vera was an interesting person and very believable, as were her sisters, and I liked them. The sheriff was also very likable. I did not solve the mystery until very close to the end, and since there are indications of another one about Vera, I am looking forward to it. Thanks for an arc from NetGalley, and no pressure for a positive review.

Retired cop Vera Boyett is back in her hometown, closer to her sisters, and closer to the secret they've been keeping since they were kids. She's not there long before the sheriff calls her up to help on a case that has ties back to a serial killer she helped investigate and convict a decade ago, The Messenger. Strange things start happening before it becomes clear: Vera is the next target of this torture killer.

Wow, this novel is quite the ride! This is the second book in the series, which I didn't realize when I signed up for the arc. While the book did a great job rooting the reader in what was happening without having read the first book, it felt a little too explain-y at times, so I feel like having the full context of book one would have helped with that.

This felt exactly like a TV show episode. Back in the day I was really into Bones, and this brought me back. Vera has a history with the sheriff in town which was actually really steamy. Though this is a crime thriller, the romance was a very nice edition for this romance-loving girlie.

There are a lot of things going on in this story. There is the killer still behind bars, a copycat of some kind, and this shadow of the secret Vera and her sisters are keeping...from everyone. Layer in the personal dramas and you've got a very busy book here. At times it felt a little too fast paced, which says to me I'm not connected enough to what is going on.

If you're a fan of crime thrillers, I think this novel is right up your alley. Though I didn't connect with it as much as I like, it did feel like skilled writing and a properly tangled and exciting plot that will keep you guessing all the way through.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thanks for the ARC copy of this book. I am a big fan of Debra Webb. I was so happy to read more about Vera and her family. I hope there are more books to come. This was a fast paced thriller that kept me guessing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the Vera Boyette series. It was fast paced and murdery just like I like ‘em.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

Closer Than You Know by Debra Webb is a thrilling, heart-pounding suspense novel that grips you from the first page. Vera Boyett, a skilled crime analyst with a tragic past, is pulled back into a world she thought she’d left behind when Sheriff Gray "Bent" Benton requests her help with a missing persons case. Despite their complicated history, Vera agrees, only to uncover a chilling connection to the Messenger, a notorious serial killer she once helped imprison.

The stakes escalate quickly as Vera discovers that the missing reporter is just a pawn in the Messenger’s twisted plan for revenge. As the killer’s obsession with Vera deepens, she is thrust into a high-stakes race against time to save her sister, Eve, and stop the killer before it's too late.

Webb expertly builds tension throughout the novel, balancing thrilling twists with complex character dynamics. Vera is a compelling protagonist, driven by both her desire for redemption and her protective love for her family. The added complexity of her relationship with Bent adds emotional depth to the story, making their partnership even more engaging. Closer Than You Know is a well-paced, high-stakes thriller filled with suspense, intrigue, and emotional stakes. Fans of dark, fast-paced crime dramas will find this book impossible to put down.