Years ago, Carrie went into the woods with two other girls. Only Carrie escaped. Now, married to Luke, they’re moving back to the area where this tragedy occurred. Carrie’s struggled over the years, a traumatic brain injury left her unable to recall the events of that night, leaving her both fearful and guilty surrounding the other two girls’ deaths.

Now, her husband, Luke, is newly working for the same police department that Carrie’s father just retired from. Luke has a secret of his own and is quietly doing his own investigating among Carrie’s now resurfacing memories.

Small town, big secrets, and a valuable lesson? Trust no one!

Rick Mofina is a favorite and I enjoyed this fast-paced thriller that was as twisty as the day is long!

My thanks to @HTPBooks for this gifted DRC!

Another winning read by Author Rick Mofina. This book is riveting, lots of plot twists and turns. It is an exciting page turner till the last page, I did not figure it out till the reveal. If this is your first book by Rick Mofina or your 42nd you will so enjoy it.

In high school Carrie, daughter of the local sheriff, goes into the woods with two other girls after a Halloween party. Carrie is the only one to make it out alive. The other two are shot and killed, and everyone speculates that Carrie was the murderer. Carrie can't defend herself because she fell and hit her head on some rocks and had a TBI, which left her with no memory of the night. Years later, Carrie has moved away and is living in California, married to a police officer and has a baby daughter. When she finds out her father is terminally ill, they pack up and move back to Clear River. Carrie still has no memory of that night, and is both hoping and dreading that she will finally get some answers. Then, on his way home from having a drink at the bar with some of the other officers after his shift, Luke sees what looks like a woman running down the road towards his car in driving rain. Before he can slam on breaks, she hits the car and flips over the top. However, when he gets out to check on her, she is nowhere to be found. Unsure, now what he saw, or imagined, Luke does some quiet investigations trying to figure out what exactly happened that night.

I love this author's books. This was a non-stop thrill ride from start to finish. I love that there were two mysteries to solve and both of them kept me guessing until the end. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book - I just couldn't put it down. If you love a good thriller, then I highly recommend you check this out. You are going to love it!

Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.

2.5 stars rounded up.

You can't go home again - or can you? Thirteen years ago, three girls - seventeen-year-old high school junior Carrie and two high school seniors, Abby and Erin - went into the woods in Clear River, East Texas, but only Carrie came out alive. Seriously hurt with a head injury that caused memory loss, she soon moved to California to escape the whispers that she had anything to do with the deaths of the other two girls. Meanwhile, Carrie's husband, Luke, has his own trauma to overcome from an incident while working for the LAPD. When the couple and their young daughter move back to Texas to be closer to Carrie's ailing father, Clear River's former sheriff, they know to expect some resentment and animosity from a community still reeling from the unsolved murders thirteen years ago and suspicious of Carrie's involvement in what happened that day. To make matters worse, Luke, now working as a deputy sheriff for the county, is out one evening in a storm when his car hits something... or someone. When he doesn't find a trace of any person, Luke decides to keep quiet about the incident, but his guilty conscience leads him to investigate nonetheless, eventually leading to a horrifying revelation.

I was really excited to pick up this promising book by a well-versed author. The premises of both stories - Carrie's backstory as well as Luke's current predicament - were intriguing and kept me guessing throughout. An unexpectedly touching death row side story in particular was gripping and gave the author - who, according to his author's note, once covered a death penalty case while working as a reporter and was given first-hand information about the execution protocol by prison officials, even being walked into the execution chamber himself - a chance to shine.

However, despite Rick Mofina's extensive personal knowledge of certain aspects of the story, and two different mysteries, the book felt very lackluster overall, and I honestly expected more. Parts of it were the pacing, which felt off, as the story would repeatedly jump multiple days into the future with no warning. More frustratingly, it was very repetitive: storylines, accusations, and suspicions were reiterated again and again in the space of sometimes only a few pages, and characters would often chide themselves for not doing something (i.e., being there for each other in times of need, following up on certain evidence, etc.), and then still not do it, but keep mentioning that they should. Finally, I found the different writing style of the flashbacks very hard to read.

Overall, this one just wasn't what I had hoped for, and fell flat compared to the author's previous work. However, I seem to be an outlier in this assessment, and this definitely will not deter me from reading more books by this author in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"If Two Are Dead" is slated to be released on April 29, 2025.

When three girls go into the forest and only one comes out, Carrie is scarred for life. And little does she know her husband, a cop, gets himself wrapped up in some trouble when he hits a woman with his car late at night. Truths will be revealed and lives will be changed.

Carrie doesn’t remember what happened as a teen when she was the sole survivor from a slaughter that left two fellow high school students dead. Now she’s home and while the town doesn’t trust her, she wants to remember what happened.

I stuck with this one waiting for it to pick up but it just never really did for me. Give it a try. Maybe you’ll like it from the beginning but I just had a hard time connecting with the story and characters.

“And that day in the woods, the not knowing, is always with me.”

If Two Are Dead comes out 4/29.

This was a fast-paced read filled with such great twists and turns. It contains multiple storylines going on that eventually come together.. Totally recommend to add to your TBR.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

If Two Are Dead by Rick Mofina is a small town atmospheric thriller.

Carrie and her family are returning to her hometown, a place she swore she would never return to.

Haunted by her past and lack of memory surrounding what happened, Carrie struggles to adjust to her new life

A fast-paced novel full of secrets, lies, twists, and turns.

3.5 Stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this intriguing thriller. It will be available in stores on April 29. The story proceeded at a slow pace which I enjoyed. It gave me an in-depth emotional connection with the complex characters, their thoughts and worries. It ramped up to a frantic deadly pace about 3/4 way through, and seemed like a different book. The twists and revelations were far-fetched at times. This was a multi-layered book, written in crisp, lean , propulsive prose that lead to am exploration of dark secrets, guilt, dread, rumours and speculation.

Luke, his wife Carrie, and new baby have moved back to a small Texan town from LA. Her father Vern, a former sheriff, has a terminal illness, and they want to spend time with him. Thirteen years earlier, Carrie was a teenager who went into the woods with two high school classmates who were not her friends. They were both shot dead and rumours blamed Carrie. Carrie escaped from the killings, running for her life. She was injured in an accidental fall, and suffered a brain injury, and has no memory of the events before hospitalization and therapy. It was suggested that revisiting old sites might restore some recollection of what happened. It hasn't helped that her favourite saying in a high school assignment was, "Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead".

Her husband, Luke, was glad to relocate, as he was suffering from PTSD from his police work in LA. He was cleared from any blame, but still carries a guilty feeling. He accepted a role of deputy sheriff in the small Texas town with a recommendation of Vern. There were also rumours that Vern killed Carrie's mother. During a blinding storm, Luke suspected he hit someone with his vehicle, but convinces himself it may have been fallen branches and not a person. Had he severely injured or killed someone? Luke avoided reporting the crash and left the scene.. He is secretly obsessed with discovering who, if anyone, he hit.

Meanwhile, Carrie believes she may have murdered the two highschool girls, but a convict facing execution, confessed to the murders just before the death penalty was carried out. The confession had suspicious connections.

Deese, a reporter, writes award-winning articles, about Carrie and the deaths in the woods. These reports contain truth and much speculation, keeping Carrie's possible role in the spotlight. The suspense is intense as it explores Carrie's trauma. Luke is absorbed with his own investigation, and thinks he has discovered the identity of the woman he struck with his car , but cannot find any further information about her. Is she dead, and will he be charged with leaving the scene? He is not giving Carrie the attention she needs.

The story proceeds at a frenzied pace. Two women have been abducted and imprisoned under terrible and abusive circumstances. Their captor is a deranged man wearing a mask with his voice electronically altered. He tells them he will kill them soon in a horrifying and painful manner. Is there any hope of rescue?

This was a well-planned plot, where the multiple storylines, and loose threads eventually converged.
I had never read anything by author Rick Mofina, but will be looking for his previous books . The solution was unpredictable. Highly recommended for readers who like an emotional psychological thriller, and a tense, suspenseful mystery.

3 3/4 stars
Rick Mofina is an excellent thriller writer, and I have enjoyed several of his books. I liked this one, too, but it isn't one of my favorites by him. The book features Luke and Carrie, a married couple who move back to Texas for a fresh start. Carrie's dad is ill and needs her and Luke wants to leave problems from his job as a cop in LA behind him. However, back in Clear River, Carrie must deal with a tragedy from many years before. She and two schoolmates went into the woods - the other two girls were killed, but Carrie survived with no memory of what had happened. Even though the couple is hoping for a new start, both of their pasts are catching up with them.

The main plot about Carrie is intriguing, and I wanted to find out what really happened and who killed the girls. However, Luke's drama with his past job and his current issues, thinking he may have accidentally hit a woman with his car get in the way of Carrie's story. It becomes repetitive and slows the pace of the overall story. Eventually all the threads come together, and the ending is satisfying, but it takes a bit too long to get there.

I received an advance copy of this ebook for review consideration from HTP Books, HTP Hive, and Mira Books. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

Rick Mofina, a master of suspense, returns with If Two Are Dead, a chilling tale that plunges you into a world where shadows conceal deadly secrets and the line between predator and prey blurs with terrifying ease. This isn't just a thriller; it's a relentless pursuit of truth, where every twist of the knife is a step closer to the abyss.

Mofina expertly crafts an atmosphere of creeping dread, drawing you into a vortex of intrigue and danger. As the body count rises, the mystery deepens, and the characters are forced to confront their darkest fears and most desperate choices.

If Two Are Dead is a gripping, pulse-pounding thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final, shocking revelation. Mofina's taut prose, intricate plot, and unforgettable characters combine to create a reading experience that is both captivating and utterly unforgettable.

Thank you NetGalley and HTP books for letting me read this advance copy of If Two are Dead by Rick Mofina.

Thriller and mystery is one of my go-to genres so choosing to pick up this book was a no-brainer for me. The story enters with MC Luke Conway driving through a storm in Texas on his way home from the bar with some new colleagues. The wind and rain is whipping items everywhere, making it hard to see, and then - a flash - he thinks he collided with a woman. Getting out of his car, he looks everywhere, even going into the neighbouring trees, but finds nothing. Did he imagine it?

We soon learn Luke and his wife Carrie have moved back to small-town texas, a very complicated and emotional decision for the two. Carrie and Luke are from the same area but moved and met each other in LA where Luke worked for the LAPD. Having endured a traumatic police call where someone died on his watch, Luke is eager to put the city behind him and its memories. However, their small town in Texas happens to be the very place where Carrie fought for her life as a teenager, having fled an attack in the woods and remembering nothing. Two of her classmates died in the woods that night, but she does not remember anything, there are no other witnesses, until an old murderer admits the crime on death row before he is taken. Did he really do it?


News of Carrie’s dad’s cancer brings her, Luke, and their daughter back. As Carrie struggles to acclimate to town, and Luke struggles to fit into his new police role, they both fight to solve the puzzles their return has brought them. Did Luke hit someone? Why can’t Carrie remember? Where is the truth?

This book was an absolute page-turner for me. It has enough character development, the pacing is just-right, and the ending was completely not what I expected. I recommend it to any thriller, crime or mystery fans out there.

Luke and Carrie can't escape their pasts, especially when they move back to Clear River to care for her father. She's always been a suspect in a cold case-two of her friends died in an odd event in the woods years ago (no spoilers as this spools out). Luke is a cop who, as you know right off, might have hit and killed someone. His choice haunts him and it hangs over the novel. Will they get answers? Well, of course but there are twists along the way. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

2.5 stars. The opening scene is gripping and sucked me into the story, but things got considerably less exciting after that. I enjoyed this story enough to finish it, and I wanted to know what happened, but overall it was an average mystery and the ending felt a little silly. I don't think I'll remember a thing about this book or any of the characters within a week or so. I would recommend it only to those who are already big fans of this author.

"Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead."

I literally couldn’t guess what was going to happen next.... this was such a fantastic thriller!

After two girls are brutally and mysteriously murdered in the woods, Carrie is the only known witness to what really happened.
Surely she’d come forward and bring their killer to justice???
The problem? Carrie doesn't remember ANYTHING!!!

During her escape, she suffered a traumatic brain injury, leaving her with no memory of that day. 👀

As time passes, the town starts whispering:
Did Carrie kill them?
Is she faking her injuries?
Is she hiding something?
What really happened that day?!!

Carrie eventually moves away, trying to rebuild her life. she gets married, has a baby, and is still desperately trying to piece together the truth. But life events pulls her back to Clear River… and what she finds is more chilling than she ever imagined.

✨ "who did it??!"
✨ tense, twisty suspense
✨ multiple layered storylines
✨ shocking revelations

This is the kind of thriller that keeps you flipping pages late into the night. I will definitely be recommending this one!

If Two Are Dead by Rick Mofina is a Texas-based thriller that pulls the reader into the severe weather and anxiety of unsolved crimes.

Luke and Carrie Conway have returned to Texas after years in LA. Carrie's father, a retired Sheriff, is dying, and Carrie wants to spend as much time with him before it's too late. Luke, also in the police force, is eager to escape after a tragedy when he was on duty.

Carrie is famous in her small town. Famous because she survived an assault and two other girls didn't. Famous because the mystery remains unsolved. Famous because she doesn't remember anything.

Luke is trying to restart his career; however, one stormy night, as he drives down a dark country road, he hits something... or someone. He has to find this person before someone else does.

Carrie's memory slowly returns as she visits her old haunts, but something still doesn't feel right. A man on death row confesses to the murders, but that doesn't feel right either.

As Carrie's memory returns and the local newspaper updates the story, new information and details start to leak out, and Luke, Carrie, and her father are in a race for the truth.
----
If you read the summary of this book, it reads like Luke is the main character. Nope. Carrie is the main character and the most compelling. Her trauma and memory loss are the central plot, and I would have LOVED more flashbacks to the days leading up to the crime. Luke was obsessed with hiding his accident and trying to remain unseen by his new co-workers.

I enjoyed Carrie and Denise's chapters the most. They moved the plot more. The story is fascinating; I love the idea of a local girl coming back and having to reconcile with the truth, no matter how terrible. Carrie's love for her dad is clear, as is his love and need to protect her and her family.

There were a lot of car references, which all made sense later, but it was a bit too "product placement-y." Of course, I loved the Whataburger inclusion (honey butter chicken biscuit forever!).

This was my first Rick Mofina book (I think), and will not be the last. There's ways to write a domestic thriller and this is it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

In "If Two Are Dead", author Rick Mofina sets the stage for a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller in the opening pages.

The book is about highly likeable, but drama embroiled Luke and Carrie Conway. The Conways recently moved from LA back to small town Clear River, Texas where they both grew up. As the story begins, Luke, driving in a fierce storm, hits something (someone?). Finding nothing in the area, he must quickly make a decision that could impact the rest of his life.

This couple has more than enough on their plate. Luke is trying to get himself back on track after a traumatic work incident with the LAPD. Carrie is returning to spend time with her ill father. She never would have agreed to come back otherwise. When in high school, she and two other girls went into the woods, and Carrie was the only one to come out alive. The other girls were murdered. Carrie, badly injured in the incident, has no memory of what happened. But people in small towns talk, and many think Carrie, once a suspect, committed the still unsolved murders and knows more than she admits.

This is a quick and enjoyable read. The characters are very relatable, and the story well told. I felt as if I was "in" the story with Carrie and Luke. I love how the author layered this mystery, revealing bits of the truth little by little. This gets four stars from me! I look forward to reading more by this author.

My thanks to Mira for allowing me to access a DRC of the book via NetGalley. Publication is 4/29/25. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

3.50 stars
-
I went into 'If Two Are Dead' blind, and found myself let down from the slower pacing of this thriller. This multi-layered thriller will drag you through its plot for the majority of the book, it certainly does pick up at the 70% mark, and once you hit that mark, you won't want to put it down. I've always loved Rick Mofina's crime thrillers as I feel like he's able to bring in a fresh perspective as a former journalist.

Luke and Carrie have recently moved back to Carrie's hometown, a place where Carrie has never imagined she would come back to after being involved in a tragedy. Everyone knows what happened to Carrie...three girls walk into the forest, but only one comes out. I wish the plot had just focused on Carrie and having her work through the heavy emotions of being back in town all while questioning what happened to her that day.

Instead, our plot is intertwined with Luke a local cop who struggles with the fact that he's potentially hit someone with his car while off-duty. As a reader, you start to question how everything is connected, and for a long moment, you wonder if there's any point to the plot at all. I will mention that the author does a great job at tying everything up at the end (although a little unsatisfying), and kept me guessing the entire time. There were a few times when I thought I had figured it out, but I was wrong.

If you don't mind a slower-paced crime novel, you most likely would enjoy this one! I prefer my books to grip me from the start, and this was almost a DNF as it took me a long while to even get into the plot and concept.
-
I would like to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA, Rick Mofina, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early review copy of 'If Two Are Dead' in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions formulated in this review are my own. If Two Are Dead is scheduled to be published on April 29th, 2025, pre-order your copy today.

If Two Are Dead by Rick Mofina is a very highly recommended suspenseful, twisty thriller.

Luke Conway and his wife Carrie with their one-year-old daughter Emily have moved back to Texas to spend time with her terminally ill father, Vernon Hamilton, during his final days. Luke has already obtained a position as a deputy with the county where his father-in-law was a sheriff. The decision was a difficult one. Carrie left years earlier after she was the sole survivor of an attack that left two girls dead in the woods. Carrie was hospitalized with brain injuries at the time and still has no memory of what happened. Luke was involved with a shooting as an LAPD officer and is ready to make a new start.

In the opening of the novel, just as Carrie and Emily are ready to move to Texas, Luke is driving home in a storm and hits something or someone. He gets out of his car and looks for what he hit but finds nothing so he decides to not call it in after his experience in LA. He ends up investigating on his own. This decision torments and distracts him. At the same time, after Carrie arrives some fleeting memories begin to return to her. She is still receiving support from her therapist, Dr. Bernay. Adding to the stress is the fact that residents of small towns never forget and take vehement sides on all manner of events.

The uneasiness, secrets, and stress remain high throughout this well-written, fast-paced, un-put-downable thriller. Honestly, much of the tension is due to the fact that you don't know if any of the characters are trustworthy. At one time or another it seems any or all of them have done some nefarious deed in their past. Both Luke, Carrie, and Vern are searching for answers, from the present and the past. You don't know if you should be sympathetic for their positions or hope they are caught.

The secrets, twists, and information just keeps coming strong right to the surprising, shocking, and unpredictable ending. Honestly, Mofina plotted and paced this novel like the skillful writer he is, which kept me glued to the pages waiting for the next revelation or crumb of information. The ending, though, was masterfully played and is what made the rating so high. Thanks to MIRA Books 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 Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

2.5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this book. It took longer than expected for the main storylines to show the connection. The characters were well-crafted, though I didn't really like any of them, particularly the husband, who was annoying. The pace was way too slow, particularly for the genre. And I didn't find it as thrilling as I expected it to be. There were unanswered questions, which made for frustrating and unsatisfying ending.