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.

Thank you so much to Alie Dumas Heidt, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to be able to read and review this story before its publication, as I love anything related to the ancient world/myths as I studied this in college. I also love a good thriller every now and then, so the summary for this novel sounded right up my alley. The Myth Maker follows Detective Cassidy Cantwell as she balances her personal life and issues all while working through a series of Greek Myth inspired serial killings. Haunted by the unsolved murder of her childhood best friend, Cassidy falls deeper and deeper into the mystery as she discovers that there may be more to her friend's case after looking into her current case.

I wanted so very badly to love this story, as it has such an excellent plot summary, but unfortunately in my opinion the execution was simply not up to par. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I do wish that there was more nuance to the themes of this novel.

Plot wise, it did feel as if too much was going on. Sometimes I found it particularly difficult to follow the story, as The Myth Maker contains many different plots besides the main murders--like the main character's love life, family life, and more. So many different characters were introduced, so I did end up forgetting who was who at times, and how they relate to the story. I do wish that Heidt streamlined the plot and cut down the characters to focus on the more important aspects of the story. This would prevent chapters from going on various tangents, as I really loved the main murder plot. It is just too much plot to contain for a measly 320 pages.

The writing itself is pretty standard for a thriller novel, so there is nothing that really stands out. I did find that at times the plot would and writing structure would be somewhat repetitive and predictable. A body would be discovered, Cassidy would investigate, then ask what myth the scene represents, and so on.

The mythological components of the story and the way the main character obtained information about myths in regards to the murders seemed like a cop out, which was a bit upsetting. This is because I really wished Heidt took the time have our main character learn of the myths and background more organically, so those who are unfamiliar with the stories will uncover the information at the same time as Cassidy. Rather than researching for herself, in-universe Cassidy instead goes to a very special professor that basically just tells her what myth corresponds to what murder and why. It is very surface level which was a bit disappointing.

It just seems like something was missing from this book--something that I can't quite name. My attention was easily captured at the beginning, and even more easily lost mid-way through the story. Overall this is fine read for those who who like thrillers (which is usually me), but maybe this particular story was not for me.

I really enjoyed this as a mythology thriller novel, it had that element that I was looking for from the description. The overall tension worked well in this world and I was hooked from the first page in this. The characters were everything that i wanted in this type of book and thought they worked in this universe. Alie Dumas Heidt has a strong writing style and it worked well in this universe and genre. I really loved the cover and how the description worked well in this plot.

3.5* rounded up to 4.

The description for the book is what initially peaked my interest, anything related to mythology involved with serial killers plays right into my wants in a book.

For the first half however I found the pacing to be pretty choppy and it quite often felt rushed. However, the second half seemed to find itself and flowered much more smoothly.

I enjoyed the plot and the characters, also I'm very invested in the side mystery that is happening throughout the book in relation to Jenna.

Overall, it was a good book. Personally, it had some structural and pacing issues, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

The premise of The Myth Maker is an intriguing one: we get to join in on the hunt for a serial killer who’s channeling mythology to kill the human side of his victims in order for them to be reborn as goddesses.

Main character, Detective Cassidy Cantwell, is quick to pick up on the killer’s pattern, and she throws herself headlong into the task of finding him and holding him accountable. But catching him means something more to Cantwell. Our passionate, bright, and likable detective is battling trauma of her own. That trauma has caused her to wall herself off from others because of the guilt she feels, and catching the bad guys seems like all she can do to try to atone for her self-imposed sins.

And that tension is, in my opinion, where the story struggles most. Cantwell’s personal loss seems to take over and become the primary story, which pulls readers away from the story of the serial killer, a story that’s far more original and mysterious. While the author tries to link the storylines together, that link right now feels too tenuous and coincidental.

While I like the small moments we are given to enter into the mind of the killer, I want more of them. He needs to be more fleshed out as a character and not just used as a trope or plot device.

The story ends by setting readers up for another installment, and despite its growing pains, I liked this one enough to give the next one a chance.

3.5 stars


Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

The concept of this was really solid. I was incredibly excited to get into this book and the premise of murders on the basis of Greek myths really stood out.

The book starts strong, but unfortunately falls prey to the formula of murder, exposition, little bit of searching, then murder again. I found the descriptions really frustrating in that they were very much a ‘show, don’t tell issue’.

I didn’t feel very connected to the lead character either, and she just seemed a little hollow. I will say that the book was, at least, reasonably well paced in terms of the action and approach to the narrative, even if some of the descriptions were just too lengthy.

I feel like this had the potential to be an absolutely rollicking thriller, but it just missed the mark.

When you read a mystery with an involved and unlikely series of crimes and a large cast of characters, I feel like you're entering into an agreement with the author. You agree to dive into their world and in return you're expecting to get something satisfying like an intriguing villain or a fascinating solution to the mystery or even growth and development for the MC. I was expecting at least one of those threads to emerge in this book, but there is no satisfying resolution or solution here, just another one of those MCs who are so hot right now -- barely able to focus on the present day due to past trauma, obsessed with the murder of her best friend when they were teenagers. She's certainly determined, but she's no great shakes as a detective. And she doesn't really have to be -- it's circumstances that dump the solution in the lap of the detectives, not any special insight. As convoluted as the crimes are, the author seems singularly uninterested in giving any context to the killer's decisions. The whole thing about Greek myths winds up being irrelevant to the plot, which doesn't wrap up so much as peter out. I think the selling point here is that we're supposed to care who killed her best friend and we'll keep coming back for half-baked serial killings while she solves that crime. This isn't for me.

I received a copy of this via NetGalley.

Quick read and captures your attention, but does not go into great detail about Greek Myths that mythology fans may be looking for.