The synopsis of this book caught my interest immediately. A mystery thriller with a serial killer and greek mythology? Too intriguing to pass up. While I worried it would be written in a heavy or gritty way that would make it hard to get into or keep me focused, but it kept my interest pretty steadily throughout.
The way the author put it together as to keep you guessing throughout, while your mind gets caught on clues and hints. The journey through the story is twisty and entertaining while remaining dark from start to finish, and I had an amazing time reading it.
I can’t wait for more from the author in the future.

As a Greek mythology girlie, I really wanted to love this one. The premise of a serial killer staging victims in scenes inspired by ancient myths? That had my name all over it. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to the potential for me.

The story follows Cassidy, a detective still haunted by the unsolved murder of her childhood best friend. When a new case lands on her desk, Cassidy becomes deeply invested in uncovering the truth, even as her personal life starts to fray at the edges.

While the concept is intriguing, the execution felt a bit uneven. The mythological connections, which I was most excited for, ended up being somewhat shallow and underdeveloped. I kept waiting for that satisfying, chilling link between the murders and the myths, but it never happened.

Cassidy is an okay protagonist, but the subplots especially around her boyfriend and family, sometimes pulled focus from the central mystery in a way that felt distracting. That said, the pacing picks up toward the end, and there are some creepy moments and clever red herrings that mystery lovers might appreciate.

In the end, this one just wasn’t for me. That said… I absolutely loved the cover. It’s stunning, honestly one of the prettiest I’ve seen all year. I’ll probably still purchase a physical copy just to have it on my shelf, that’s how much I was hoping to love this book.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Detective Cassidy Cantwell has a real puzzler on her hands because someone is killing and staging bodies in ways reminiscent of Greek mythology. She's also got a lot going on in her life as echoes of a past tragedy emerge. I liked the way the Greek myths were incorporated but there's too much going here (too many subplots, too many characters). That could have been solved with a dispassionate edit and would have made for a better read. That said, Cantwell is a good character I'd be willing to give another chance. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

This thriller pulses with energy, weaving danger and mystery into every chapter. The plot twists are bold yet believable, and the characters feel strikingly real. It’s an edge-of-your-seat experience that delivers pure reading pleasure.

Rookie police detective Cassidy Cantwell gets involved in a baffling serial killer case. The killer is staging each of his female victims as goddesses from Greek mythology. Their first victim happens to be married to her college boyfriend.

As the cases pile up and the FBI gets involved, the team begins working almost around the clock which has severe consequences for Cassidy's own relationship with her boyfriend. He's tired of coming in third after her job and the investigation of the murder of her high school best friend some years earlier.

Jenna's murder becomes more than a bunch of notebook filled plastic bins when someone decides to start sending Cassidy mementos from their shared past. But Cassidy doesn't have time to pursue these new leads until the current killer is caught.

This was a fast-paced and engaging thriller with an intriguing main character. My only complaint is that the cover doesn't seem to match the story within the book.

The Myth Maker by Alie Dumas Heidt promised Greek mythology meets serial killer thriller, but what I got was elaborate murder scenes based on the most surface-level goddess details—I kept thinking it would be more fascinating if the killer had tapped into their more esoteric aspects instead of just the obvious stuff. Detective Cassidy Cantwell's investigation follows a predictable cycle of murder, mythological explanation from a convenient professor, suspect interviews, repeat, and I lost track of the dozens of characters pretty quickly. The video game-influenced killer reveal felt overwrought, and honestly, I've already forgotten most of the details despite finishing it just two days ago. I'll probably read the sequel anyway since Cassidy's cold case about her murdered best friend seems infinitely more interesting than this by-the-numbers procedural.

The Myth Maker by Ali Dumas-Hight is a mystery thriller with a compelling premise: a serial killer is staging their victims in poses inspired by Greek mythology. Detective Cassidy Cantwell is leading the investigation while grappling with the unresolved trauma of her childhood best friend’s death.

I was really in the mood for a thriller and this concept definitely caught my attention, but the execution didn’t quite land. The plot felt convoluted and the pacing was uneven, which made it hard to stay invested. The mythological element is certainly woven into the story, but rather than feeling organically integrated, it came across as a bit forced—like it was more for effect than depth.

There were flashes of intrigue, and moments that held promise, but overall, it didn’t sustain my interest. It read more like a detailed retelling of events than a true psychological thriller, and that lack of tension made it hard to connect. None of the characters really stood out, and with so many threads in play, the narrative felt a bit overcrowded.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers with a mythological twist, this might still be worth a try. For me, though, it just didn’t hit the mark. Two stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

A slow paced mystery with murders inspired by Greek goddesses sounded really intriguing to me. While I enjoyed some elements of this novel, The Myth Maker ended up falling short for me. I will be honest that some of it could have been the weird formatting of my e-ARC, which was disjointed. I didn't think that all of the elements of the story meshed as well together with each other. It felt like she was trying to pack as much as she could in this novel without really fleshing out any of the storylines. Heidt is obviously setting up another book to make this a series with the way it ends. I don't know if I'll continue with Cassidy's story. I didn't find myself completely connecting with any of the characters in the novel. I give some grace because this is her debut novel, but I hope in the future her books are more focused in their narration and not going off on so many tangents.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

"Someone is killing women and staging their bodies in strange, evocative scenes in this Greek-mythology-inspired serial killer thriller perfect, for fans of Alex Michaelides and Tana French.

Cassidy Cantwell has devoted her life to becoming a detective, never forgetting the cold case that has influenced her entire career: the unsolved murder of her best friend. Cassidy tries to balance her demanding job with her suffocatingly close-knit family and her increasingly clingy boyfriend, but when a strange new murder case comes across her desk, she's determined to solve it, especially when it turns out the victim was the wife of her college ex-boyfriend.

While Cassidy's partner, Bryan, works to prove that her ex is their suspect, Cassidy can't shake the feeling that there's something more to the case that they're not seeing. After the medical examiner finds a strange ring among the victim's personal effects that the husband insists didn't belong to his wife, Cassidy is struck by similarly odd details from a previous crime scene - details that seem to have an uncanny connection to a Greek myth.

When another body attracts public attention and the FBI joins the hunt, the case gets increasingly complicated - and solving it seems further and further out of reach. With anonymous taunts about her best friend's death dragging her attention away, Cassidy finds herself pulled in different directions - sacrifice her personal life for the sake of her career, or put everything she has into finding years-old answers to a case that haunts her still.

And the killer behind the murders isn't done yet."

Maybe Cassidy can't move on until she finds the answers? I know I wouldn't.

DNF

I wanted to close this immediately when I saw "bestie" a few pages in, but stuck it out (though just barely). The writing is a bit dry and the most important thing to me in a thriller is to immediately be sucked in. As this had the opposite effect, I couldn't find it within myself to continue. The premise was promising and who knows, perhaps I'll give this a second shot in the future but right now, I just can't. I also skimmed a few reviews and saw mentions of the story continuing in a 2nd book as it ends on a cliffhanger. So that's definitely something to keep in mind before you pick this up in case you're like me and only like to read completed series!

I just couldn't get into this but I've seen some positive reviews so it may still be worth giving a shot! It unfortunately just wasn't for me.

This is exactly what you'd expect of a detective thriller set in Washington (state), if it was described as such. A brash and young female detective, more than competent at her job, is on the heels of a serial killer who's targeting women for themed murders. With her bro-like partner and a personal trauma/tragedy that fuels her moves in life, she'll ever so gently, sometimes overtly, skirt the law to find the truth. And for all that, it was very predictable.

The action in the last few chapters definitely had me reading faster, I was in the story, invested. Still, there was a lot of misdirection that got more word space than the final beats with the by-then known culprit. I wasn't sorely disappointed with anything in this read, but I wasn't super wowed by anything either. 3 stars for me.

Detective Cassidy Cantwell is assigned a new murder mystery; a murdered young woman that feels eerily familiar. She soon discovers that her and her partner have connected the crimes of a new serial killer through Greek mythology. But she cannot forget the cold case she cannot leave behind- the 5 year old murder of her best friend. Could they all be connected?

This novel is for your procedural drama fans, as the formula feels followed to a tee. The characters aren’t very interesting, like some side character development would have been intriguing. Anytime it felt like we were getting to know the main character, the plot jumped to conclusions without the set up. I need to see the journey, not feel like I’m starting in the middle. The whole reason for our main character to be a cop, felt abandoned as an idea. It’s rarely referenced.

The story is pretty convincing, but doesn’t feel like anything new. Moments of lack of investigation skills were few and far between; I only felt myself wanting to yell at Cassidy, “why aren’t you asking more about…” a couple weeks f times. Some of the suspicions came off lackluster, as if the author wasn’t allowing them to build up, since that wasn’t how the story was ending. The last 20% flowed a little easier, like a relief of the writer was finally getting to tell their reader what they want.

The ending read like first in a series, open and mostly uneventful; which may end up being the case anyway. There were moments I wish the author had explored, that they could have just pushed themselves a little further. So ended up being underwhelming

Greek Myths Meet Murder: A Detective's Dark Journey

★★★★☆

Alie Dumas Heidt's The Myth Maker hits like a thunderbolt from Zeus himself. This twisted thriller follows Detective Cassidy Cantwell as she hunts a killer who turns murder scenes into grotesque recreations of Greek mythology. Think Perseus and Medusa, but with yellow crime scene tape and the rainy backdrop of the Pacific Northwest.

Heidt writes with the sharp eye of someone who's seen the worst humanity has to offer - no surprise, given her years wearing a badge. She knows exactly when to linger on a detail and when to keep the story racing forward. The result? A book that's impossible to put down, even when you probably should.

The killer's theatrical flair for mythological staging could have felt gimmicky. Instead, it works brilliantly, adding layers of meaning to what's already a solid police procedural. As Cantwell digs deeper, the lines between ancient stories and modern crimes blur, creating something that feels both timeless and terrifyingly current.

Fair warning: this isn't your cozy weekend read. The book tackles heavy themes - abuse, rape, child loss, and bullying - with unflinching honesty. But Heidt handles these elements with the gravity they deserve, never falling into exploitation.

If you love Tana French or Alex Michaelides, you'll find a kindred spirit in Heidt's work. Sure, sometimes the mythology references land a bit heavy-handed, but that's a small price to pay for a debut this ambitious and compelling.

The Verdict: A razor-sharp thriller that proves ancient myths still have teeth. In Heidt's hands, Greek tragedy becomes something fresh, modern, and murderously good. This debut announces the arrival of a formidable new voice in crime fiction - one that knows exactly how to turn classical tales into contemporary nightmares.

i received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review!

i was really enjoying this book up until the end. there was one aspect i was a bit disappointed about, but otherwise really liked it. it was very well written with the crimes very nicely done. nothing super shock value gory or extreme, but still there in a way that wasn’t overwhelming. then it randomly took a massive turn, introduced brand new plot points and twists 10 pages before the ending? especially since i had thought it had been solved (to the reader at least) based off a line mentioned earlier. completely ruined the book for me and just left me confused. is there going to be a second book or…?

Enjoyed this book and while I've read many books with the premise, this one takes a new spin with the mythology which totally hooked me! I would love to get a copy of the book when it is published this summer.

The Myth Maker had me absolutely hooked — right up until the moment it yeeted me off a cliff with no warning.

We’re following Detective Cassidy Cantwell as she tries to track down a serial killer staging mythological murder scenes across New Orleans. It's dark, it's atmospheric, it's exactly the kind of slow-burn, character-driven mystery I love sinking into. Cassidy herself is messy in all the right ways — haunted by her best friend's unsolved murder, weighed down by guilt and anger she can't quite shake, and doing her best to hold it all together while everything around her falls apart. (Relatable.)

The mythology tie-ins? Loved them. I just wish they were a little more woven into the story instead of being explained after the fact by a Very Convenient Professor every time a new body drops. Small thing, but it pulled me out of the story a few times.

But honestly, my biggest gripe? I didn’t realize this was setting up another book until I got to the end. Ugh. I was fully prepped for a dark, brutal resolution... and instead I got a big ol’ "see you next time!" with like seven unresolved threads flapping in the breeze. It didn’t ruin the experience, but it definitely took a little of the air out of my sails.

Still, it’s a strong, gritty read if you like your mysteries a little myth-soaked, a little messy, and starring women who refuse to sit down and shut up. I’ll 100% be picking up the next one — I just wish I’d known going in.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc.

Unfortunately, this novel really missed the mark with me. Even though the premise of mixing Greek mythology with thriller was promising, the writing style, pace and overall plotline let it down. It was well-written and the style was standard for a thriller, thus preventing it from really standing out against the crowd. It fell short in my eyes which was really disappointing.

A string of murders inspired by Greek mythology was a super interesting premise. This story was a balance between this spree of murders and the MC Cassidy’s personal life. Though the two did tie in together and intertwine. It made for an emotionally charged, quick paced, tight mystery with a satisfying ending.

Cassidy Cantwell was inspired to become a detective by her teenage best friend's unsolved murder. It is a cold case that she cannot let go. With her close-knit family and boyfriend who crowds her space, Cassidy must focus on solving crimes. In the midst of a new murder case, she is reminded of her friend's death. Driven to find the perpetrator of the crimes, Cassidy must work against her partner in solving the crimes. It is a good read.

I was really interested in this book based on the description. The concept of Greek myth inspired killings is interesting, but I felt like it was overshadowed by Cassidy’s personal life/issues. I would have liked more information about the myths than we were given. It felt a little flat just having a professor give the descriptions, but that might be because I know about these myths and their iconography already. Other than that, it’s a decent thriller. The latter half of the novel captured my attention and I didn’t put the book down until I was done. The first half is exposition heavy, so it was much slower to get through. There’s basically two parts to this novel: the crime plot and Cassidy’s plot. The crime plot was the more interesting of the two and what I enjoyed the most about the novel. On that end, it’s a nice, fast-paced mystery. It’s definitely not as myth-centered as the description would have you believe, but it was still interesting.

I received an ARC through NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.