This is one of my favourite Catherine books to date. Ridley and Colter had so much tension and chemistry. I loved the podcast element of the story and the overall mystery plot line. I was enthralled the entire time. The narrators did a fantastic job, one of my favourite audios!

This was my first Catherine Cowles book and I can definitely see why she gets so much love. The story moved so fast and I had a good time with it. I loved the stakes of this story - they start high and kept me hooked. This book deals with some tough topics but it's not overly graphic. All the characters need therapy lol. I loved the heart of this story. The main characters have gone through some difficult situations and it has only motivated them to be more caring. Both narrators really knocked it out of the park. I loved the gruffness that Colt's narrator added to his chapters and the earnestness that Ridley's narrator included. It was a fantastic audio and I definitely recommend you check out the story that way if you're an audiobook person.

All the Missing Pieces
Shady Cove, Book 1
By: Catherine Cowles
Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Sebastian York

Now we are talking! This is an amazing listen, one I am so glad I dove into! It's exciting, and scary along with a hint of romance that makes it all come together. Catherine Cowles has outdone herself with this first book in her Shady Cove series. Ridley is on a mission. After her twin sister went missing, she has dedicated her life to finding those that stalk, capture and kill innocent women. Her podcast is revealing true crime stories, finding leads and sometimes ending the reign of terror is extremely popular. Now she is in Shady Cove, and she is hoping to find the answers to the disappearance of her sister. Colt is the sheriff, and doesn't like her poking around. His sister was a victim who survived an attack, and while alive, her quality of life has suffered. But there is something about Ridley that has his attention. Suspects, interviews, and several attacks all lead to someone, but is it who I thought it was? NO! Time after time I thought Cowles had given me the clue, and I was sure I had the answer. It's a fantastic romantic suspense thriller and a great way to wind my year of listening down! Loved this!

Sebastian York and Andi Arndt don't need me to say just how good they portrayed this story. Their teamwork yields some of my favorite listens and now I am adding this one to the list. Emotionally charged by all the characters, these two raise the danger level and keep the suspense moving throughout the story as the slow burn of love comes through. It's a phenomenal story telling.

When I got my approval for this audiobook ALC, the squeal that erupted could have scared birds from nearby trees. I ADORE Catherine Cowles's work and I have never experienced it in audiobook form. The audiobook was exceptionally done, and the voice acting was exactly how I would have pictured/heard it in my own head. I cannot recommend the audiobook enough.

We follow a similar Catherine Cowles formula - the one we all know and love. I am particularly a fan of her MMCs in law enforcement, and that stayed true here. Though, I didn't connect with the FMC as much as I usually do. It wasn't that she didn't feel her age, but there was a solidness and a surety of character that I felt was missing, which is usually a trademark of her FMCs. A grittiness was also missing overall, but I can't place my finger on what exactly. I usually feel the cohesion of the town and side characters and the environment in which they are set, but that richness seemed to be missing. The side characters, town and setting were all wonderful but they didn't hold their own. This one felt more like a standalone than her other first-in-a-series that I've read. I can see one future relationship but the others in the series are unknown to me at this point.

Overall, another fantastic Catherine Cowles book and I'm excited for this new series. If given the option to read via audiobook, I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced listener copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

**Audiobook Review**

Once again, Catherine Cowles has written a story that pulled me and had my mind blown with the plot twists I didn’t see coming. “All the Missing Pieces” is an action packed, twisted and emotional romantic suspense that I could not stop listening to once I started.

Ridley Sawyer is a true crime podcaster and she travels in her van with her trusty cat sidekick, Tater, speaking with victims and trying to bring justice for victims. She’s now in Shady Cove and is convinced Emerson, who was able to escape, is the first victim that is connected to at least 20 other missing women. And the local sheriff, Colt Brooks is not happy she’s in town poking around especially since Emerson is his sister. Colt still feels the guilt the night Emerson was kidnapped and has blamed himself ever since. The tension between Colt and Ridley is instant but after she’s attacked, Colt becomes protective of her and the tension they had quickly turns into a chemistry neither was expecting.

From the prologue, I was so invested in this story. Catherine Cowles is the Queen of romantic suspense and this story has easily moved to one of my favorites by her. Ridley is someone I connected with right away and her need to bring justice for victims. I loved how she used her podcast as her platform and all the good it did. Colt is a classic grump and I loved his protectiveness. His heart is good and it broke my heart on how he blamed himself for his sister being kidnapped. But as the story goes on, it’s made clear that it would have happened no matter what. I loved how Colt and Ridley first met and I could feel their connection from the first moment. I was so enraptured with this storyline and just when I thought I had it figured it out, a plot twist was thrown in. Emerson also grabbed my heart and I hope we get more from her in the future. The residents of Shady Cove were so great and made this book even more fun to listen to. The action at the end had me on the edge of my seat and this story was wrapped up perfectly.

Andi Arndt and Sebastian York were fantastic as Ridley and Colt. Andi was passionate and genuine, just like Ridley. Sebastian narrated the grumpy and protective sheriff perfectly and he did an amazing job. I’m always happy when I can listen to an audiobook narrated by these two and I can’t wait to listen to it again.

Ridley's life is forever changed when her twin sister is abducted the night before their college graduation. She was never found. Years later, as a way to help others who've been in similar situations, she has a popular true crime podcast. Her next story is personal- she believes the man who abducted Avery is the same person who bungled the kidnapping of Emmerson years ago. She thinks Emmerson was the first. The town of Shady Cove is not accepting when she first got there, but they slowly warm up as they realize she wants to help people- not get a splashy story. But someone doesn't want her there- she is getting too close to the truth.

Ok. I do not rate things with 5 stars often. And while this did not have me a sobbing, emotional wreck like I normally am when I rate something 5 stars ([author:Kristin Hannah|54493], I'm looking at you), I enjoyed every second of this. So is it some profound, life altering read? Nope. But as a romance with some mystery and suspense, is it great? Yup. And the romance strikes a good balance- it isn't clean, but they also aren't having sex every second. Kind of a perfect balance.

Not only did I love both Ridley and Colter, I fell in love with the whole dang town. I am so excited to see this is going to be a series.

Two of my favorites, Andi Arndt and Sebastian York, narrate the audiobook. I always especially like them paired together for some reason.

As always with Catherine's books, the prologue was amazing. Her prologue's always leave you wanting more.

I really enjoyed Ridley's character. And she's from Dayton, Ohio which is where I live! So that was fun. Ridley was determined, independent, and sure of herself. I admired her so much for those reasons. She was also so sensitive to victims and their families, which really showed her character and sets her apart from other characters (like her producer).

My favorite scene was hands down when Ridley was paddleboarding with her cat at the front. Then Colt surprises them and the cat swam to shore to glare at Colt. I lost it haha.

All that being said, the book felt a little slow to start. I didn't really feel like it picked up until 30-40% through. The romance felt a little too forced as enemies to lovers. While I liked the misunderstandings they had, it dragged on a little too long for me. It made their love hard to believe: they seemingly didn't get along and butted heads, yet they were also so attracted to each other. It made it feel a little too insta love.

The romance also kinda took a back seat to the suspense of the story. While I typically love the suspense aspect of Catherine's books, I also love that the romance is an equal focal point. The suspense overshadowed the romance for me in this book, especially since it felt too insta love.

I’ll be honest with yall…I have an unpopular opinion about SebYo…sorry y’all he’s not my go to so I was a little bummed about this audiobook…fast forward to getting my greedy Catherine loving ears on it & I have to say SEBYO IS COLT! He 110% fits this grumpy, loyal & protective Sheriff!

As always Andi is a doll & made Ridley come to life:)

Now for the story…y’all already know if it’s by Catherine it is going to be super. All the Missing Pieces did not disappoint. I had one character who I was hoping she would NOT pin it on & I am happy to say she did not 😜 I also hope said character gets his own book & HEA 😍

Catherine did keep me guessing & I absolutely did not suspect who did it 🥴

🐈‍⬛Fave Quotes🎙️

“You’re Ridley Sawyer, taser of douchebags and tamer of ornery brothers. You can do anything.”💪🏻


Mom laughed, some tears leaking out with it. “I cursed getting you girls those glow-in-the-dark stickers. You put them everywhere.” I swallowed down the memories, holding them close. “But now they’ll light her way home.”😭😭

4.5
Catherine Cowles is one of my favorite small town romance authors. Not only does she give us amazing romances and perfect book boyfriends but she gives us just the right amount of suspense to keep us guessing the “who done it”.

All the Missing Pieces is the story of Ridley and her search to find her sisters killer and in doing so helping others who have gone missing or have been hurt by serial murders. Ridley is the host of a true crime podcast who travels around the country hunting down cold cases and stories that she believes need to be told. Her constant companion is a three-legged cat named Princess Tater and they see the views through the window of her restored VW bus. While on the biggest cold case of her career and a very person one at that, Ridley encounters a broody and protective town Sherif… over and over and over. Colt is the town Sherif and has a connection to the case the podcaster is working on. Over time the two become close but will they be able to find the serial offender.

The audio book is great. The narrators are absolutely perfect. I’ve listened to these two both separately and together and will continue to listen to these great voice actors.

LOVE!! This was giving me AGGTM vibes (A Good Girls Guide to Murder) but for adults! The main character is a true crime podcast host who investigates cold cases. She is in a small town where a grumpy sheriff immediately has it out for her.

This was a little more romance than I expected but very similar in terms to her other books. Catherine never misses. The ending left me in chills with my mouth hanging open! I absolutely love the town and people. And of course Tater, the cat, and her "tooth hugs".

-Grumpy x sunshine
-Forced proximity
-Hate to love
-Small town
-Grief/healing
-'who did this to you?'

I had the privilege of receiving an ALC for this book and it was great! Andi Ardnt and Sebastian York did an amazing job bringing Colt and Ridley to life!

Overall 4.5 🌶🌶

🎙️𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨🎙️
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Catherine Cowles

This was such a fun read!! Catherine has a way of hooking you and making you question “who done it” until the very end….and I’m here for it!

Ripley is a true crime podcaster who’s embarking on her next journey/story. Colt is the surly town sheriff that wants her gone. They both have endured trauma that they grapple with on a daily basis. It’s that trauma that eventually leads to them working together to bring justice for a multitude of innocent victims.

This is such an incredible story of strength, determination, perseverance, love and learning how to let people in. There’s a bit of humor mixed in there too.

“𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘯."

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵:
•Grumpy/Sunshine
•Shared Trauma
•Savage Three Legged Cat (tooth hugs IYKYK)
•True Crime Vibes
•Slow Burn
•Amazing Side Characters (Lolli reminiscent)
•Found Family
•Small Town
•Takes no Shit FMC

*I tandem eye ball and audio read this book. Highly recommend!!*

TY Catherine/sourcebooks

I also have a more specific review under the book review

I have enjoyed past books from Andie Arndt and Sebastian York and this one might be one of my favorites. They both did such great job of using their voices to get into the different emotions that the characters portrayed.. I thought both portrayed the characters well. Sebastian does well as Colt bc his voice is a bit deeper and can play those bit older characters rather than someone in the 20s. I would recommend not only the book, but this audiobook to fans of Catherine because it's well worth the listen.
Thank you to @dreamscape_media for this audiobook

OH. MY LANTA. This book had me hooked! Are we even shocked?! I mean if Catherine Cowles writes it then I’m 100% going to be invested from beginning to end.

𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨 was sweet, intriguing, and emotional. It follows a true crime podcast host FMC, and a sheriff MMC as they attempt to catch a serial killer. Each MC is emotionally invested in this case for their own personal reasons. They begin working together to solve the case and hopefully find the closure they so desperately need. In the process feelings begin to surface and these enemies quickly become lovers.

I truly loved this book. It kept me guessing the entire time and what a wild plot twist. Colt + Ridley’s relationship had me in a chokehold. The way that man called her Chaos, and the whole enemies to lovers vibe was everything. I loved it.

ᴛʀᴏᴘᴇꜱ:
🔍 Romantic Suspense
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
❤️ Enemies to Lovers
🏘️ Small Town
🎙️ True Crime Podcaster FMC
🚔 Sheriff MMC

A huge thank you to Catherine Cowles for providing me with an advanced reader copy of 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨.

Ridley (ridiculous name) is a true crime podcaster traveling in her van hoping to break open cold cases. She’s motivated by the fact that her twin sister disappeared years early, leaving no clues except a bloody keychain. Ridley enters Shady Cove to focus on a new case: Emerson, who was kidnapped but able to escape. Her kidnapper was never identified. Ridley instantly finds herself butting heads with the small town Sheriff. As their paths continue to cross their edges soften as they find a way to work along side each other since they have the same goal of finding justice for victims.

What I liked:
-Gorgeous cover!
-Ridley’s character
-the overall mystery plot

What I didn’t like/made me roll my eyes:
-Cheesy, cringey dialogue and romance/sex scenes.
-Colt’s character
-The romance aspect felt robotic and lacked true feeling. It didn’t feel like a slow build of emotional and sexual tension, but a bunch of *insert next bland cliche romance novel word/statement/obvious next step in equation*.

Audio specific: I felt like the female narrator fit the character better than the male narrator, but overall it was a good production.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date Jan 07 2025

This is my first Catherine Cowles book, but definitely won’t be my last. I absolutely loved this story. The audio was perfection. The characters were fun. I found myself listening to 85% of the book in one day before I finally forced myself to go to bed. Ridley and Colt have amazing chemistry and are ACTUALLY interesting and dynamic. I loved all the supporting characters too and I’m hoping this is a series that will continue Ridley/Colt and also we get to follow Emerson and see her healing journey too.

Thank you to NetGalley, Catherine Cowles, and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen. I can’t wait to check out more.

Let me preface by saying that Catherine Cowles is one of my favorite authors. This one, however, was not my favorite of her books. I'm struggling to really nail down what didn't quite work for me with "All the Missing Pieces", but I think it ultimately boils down to the fact that I was craving more? Everything felt sort of half-baked, like there wasn't a super clear direction for things, so it all felt a little incomplete. I think both Ridley & Colt's backstories were well done, but almost repetitive? Which then left me wanting more development plot-wise, instead of relying on the trauma. I don't know if I'm fully articulating this well, but I just wanted more. I will still read Catherine's books, and probably the rest of this series, this just was a bit of a miss for me.

I will say, I thought Andi Arndt & Sebastian York did a fantastic job narrating and bringing the story to life.

All the Missing Piecces
Catherine Cowles
Pub: 1/7/25
5☆

I have been counting down the days since the moment Cowles uttered the words “three-legged cat”.

All joking aside, this has been one of my most anticipated reads and Cowles did not disappoint! Ridley a.k.a. Taser of douchebags and tamer of or ornery brothers and Colter “lawman” Brooks’ story exceeded all of my expectations. The mystery, the humor, the romance, the cat! OMG THE CAT! Tater might just be my new favorite pet character.

I loved every single bingy moment of this book. Cowles brings out ALL the feels in this one. She has you literally crying one moment and laughing the next. And in usual CC fashion the true villain was not at all who I thought it was going to be.

What I loved;
💜 Romantic Suspense
💜 Grumpy x Sunshine
💜 Enemies To Lovers
💜 True Crime Podcast
💜 Chaos/Lawman
💜 Princess Tater - Tooth Hugs
💜 Meeting New Friends & Seeing Old Friends

“Colt, you helped me find all the missing pieces. Even the ones I didn’t realize I needed.”

I read this one with my eyes and ears (mostly listening) becuse um helllooo… Andi Arndt and Sebastian York!? It doesn’t get much better than this duo. Their voices to Cowles words was pure perfection. 😍 Thank you so much to Catherine Cowles and Dreamscape Media for the gifted copy.

This was such a thrilling read!! I really enjoyed the mystery and the narration. I wanted to give Ridley a massive hug the whole book, she's such an amazing character. I'd love to read more books about her solving open cases.
I LOVED the setting and the way the author describes it, it really felt like it was a real town. The cat was iconic.
This is the first book I've read from Catherine Cowles and it definitely won't be the last
I didn't expect the ending at all!!

📚 All the Missing Pieces 🎧
✍ Catherine Cowles
📖 Romantic Suspense
⭐4/5
🌶️ 🌶️
🎧 4/5

🙏 Thank you to Dreamscape Media, NetGalley and the author for an advanced listener copy of All the Missing Pieces. All opinions are my own.
◾
🎯 What I loved: Though Catherine Cowles uses a pretty similar format in all of her books, they all have a great build to the whodunnit where there are multiple potential perpetrators and All the Missing Pieces really kept me guessing the killer until the last possible second. There was a nice enemies to lovers plot with some great banter on top of the mystery so this was really a best of both worlds book. I enjoyed the podcast backdrop and that the specific crime that Ridley was investigating wasn't actually her own and that while the survivor was central to the story, she wasn't necessarily the protagonist which felt a little different than many of Cowles' other books. The way this all came together was satisfying and I liked Shady Cove. The audio on this was really well done and I think Andi Arndt and Sebastian York were well cast.

🙅‍♀️ What I didn't: I've said it before and I'll say it again: I find the use of nicknames awkward and the ones in this book (Law Man and Chaos) were bizarre and overused. Other than that, this kept my heart racing and had me rooting for the main characters to connect and solve their cases and I'd definitely recommend it.
◾
Read if you love:
*stories centered around investigative podcasts
*enemies to lovers
*small town romance/thriller
*law enforcement MMC
*interconnected crimes slowly unraveling
◾
See also: Ashes of You, Indigo Ridge, Stinger

I loved that the heroine was a true crime podcaster. I’ve not read anything like this storyline before so it felt fresh and new. Despite what happened in Emerson’s life, she was bold and brave. I loved the idea of traveling all over in a van/camper. The life seems so adventurous even though most of her travel was to follow the crimes she was trying to help break. Colt camps be a bit of a jerk. He had apseveral jerk moments, but nothing to make you not like him. He was overprotective in a good way and a wonderful big brother. This was a great listen. The narrator did a great job!