Driving alone in a rainstorm Luke strikes something or someone. Luke wanting to believe he’s just being paranoid that maybe he didn’t hit anything, he just panics and bolts. Luke is an off duty cop who decided to not report it but he’s going to secretly investigate it himself. What answers can he come up with.

It started off great, kept the mystery going, kept me hooked but then that ending? There was no shocking plot twist. It’s still a good read.

Luke, an L. A. cop, is married to Carrie. Carrie is the daughter of a retired cop of Clear River. She has a mysterious past. She was the only witness to the murder of two of her friends years ago. And Carrie cannot remember anything. Since her dad’s health is failing, they have moved back to Clear River. And now her memories are starting to return. But they are not what she thought!

I did find Luke a bit of a…how do I say this nicely…well, he could make better decisions. Let’s put it that way. When he hit someone and then fled the scene, it wasn’t suspicious at all when he kept asking about someone. 🤦🏻‍♀️

But, Luke is a character which added quite a bit of intensity to this tale. And yes, you will need to read this to find out…but watch out for the twist at the end! It is a doozy!

As with all of Rick Mofina’s books, this one is filled with intensity, suspicions, questions and drama.

I have been a fan of this author for years. He has some really good thrillers. I have never listened to one so I was excited to get this on audio. The narrator, Will Damron, did a wonderful job with all the intensity and anticipation!

Need a good thriller, with a twist… THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion.

What a nailbiter from start to finish! This book grabbed me from the first chapter and still has a hold on me after finishing. The twists and turns in this book come out of nowhere and you have to keep reading to find out what happens next. This is honestly one of my favorite books I have read in 2025. It's so unbelievably good. I thought (Key word is thought) I had it figured out about 70% in but boy was I wrong. You not only have 1 mystery you are trying to piece together in this book but 3! Pick this one up. You will not regret it.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!

>>>>> for some story-related illustrations, check out my blog! <<<<<<

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this!

I want to start by saying how much I loved Rick Mofina’s other book - SOMEONE SAW SOMETHING. I still recommend it constantly. It was so well researched and deeply engaging and felt grounded in reality in a way that truly stuck with me. It even got me on the treadmill every morning just so I could keep reading (which is saying a lot). The moment I finished it I wanted to start it all over again.

So when I had to opportunity to read IF TWO ARE DEAD … I was genuinely thrilled and I couldn’t wait to dive in.

Which is why it breaks my heart to say that this one just didn’t land for me in the same way. Not even close.

The setup had all the ingredients for something great - a compelling premise with high stakes and the promise of tension. But the execution didn’t match the potential.

Around the 20% mark, things started to feel overly familiar and cliché. the characters, especially the group of old schoolmates, felt a little flat to me… like versions of people I’ve read dozens of times before, without much depth or nuance to make them stand out.

I found the first half of the book tough to get through. It was slow-moving and hard to stay immersed in. The last 40% picked up considerably and if the rest of the story had matched that momentum I think this would’ve been a very different reading experience for me.

I’ll absolutely keep reading Rick Mofina’s work - SOMEONE SAW SOMETHING proved he’s capable of crafting something truly incredible but this one just didn’t connect for me. And that’s okay. Not every book hits every reader the same way.

This book had me hooked on page one. The suspense and tension were nonstop.
Very fast paced with so many twists that really kept me guessing.
If Two Are Dead was truly a masterpiece of interweaving and well developed storylines that was nothing short of amazing. I cannot remember ever reading a novel that was so well written that I could picture scenes better than if it played out in a movie. This felt real.
Mofina, a well-known author for his captivating stories, crafts a narrative that keeps readers engaged from beginning to end.

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!