I love a thriller or mystery when I can’t figure out the twist, and this one was great! I enjoyed the small town setting, with family secrets and division. It kept me thinking the whole time and I was so invested in the story! I loved Dolores as a main character and personally identified with her in many ways. I would recommend this read!

First can take a minute and how cute this cover is!

I cannot believe that this book is a debut. It is beautifully written. Highly suspenseful and dark. But I was so good. This would be a perfect book to read in the fall.

No Rest for the Wicked was one insanely good suspense thriller debut, and I absolutely loved it!

Dolores is forced back to her hometown of Little Horton, a town obsessed with Halloween, when her father goes missing under suspicious circumstances. Not only does she have to go back to a town that she thought she'd never see again, but she also has to face the secrets that forced her away in the first place.

This book was a murder mystery/slow burn suspense thriller. There were secrets galore and two prominent feuding families. We get to take a look at what happened all those years ago through Dolores' memories of her last and final Halloween in Little Horton.

I really enjoyed this book and was shocked that it was the author's debut because of how well written it was. The cover is what drew me to this book, but the incredible story is what kept me turning the pages.

This isn't a supernatural thriller, but I think it will make a perfect book for the spooky fall months this year!

Expected Publication Date: September 16th, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

No Rest for the Wicked stole me from the first chapter—I couldn’t stop thinking about Dolores and that eerie Halloween‑obsessed town of Little Horton. When she returns home after nearly twenty years to investigate her father’s disappearance, the layers of small-town secrets and feuding families unfold in unexpected and chilling ways . The pacing keeps the tension rising steadily—just when you think you have it figured out, the story throws another twist that hits hard .

For a debut, I was blown away by how tightly crafted the writing is and how emotionally raw Dolores feels as she faces trauma, legacy, and betrayals both recent and ancient . If you want a suspenseful, emotionally rich thriller that feels like a dark scary movie with a human heart, this is it.

Who needs sleep when you’re busy unraveling generational trauma, small-town secrets, and a Halloween murder mystery with more twists than a bag of pretzels?

No Rest for the Wicked is an impressive, emotionally-charged debut that delivers on both thrills and heartache. Dolores returns home (reluctantly) after her father vanishes, only to get sucked into a tangled web of missing persons, feuding families, and deeply buried secrets that make you question: who are the real monsters? (Spoiler: it’s probably the people in your family tree.)

Dolores is the kind of sharp, emotionally layered main character you root for while also mentally handing her a shot and a therapy punch card. She’s been through it, and Adams doesn’t shy away from showing the psychological fallout of past traumas colliding with present chaos. I found myself yelling “just let her breathe!” more than once.

The mystery is smart, moody, and had me confidently guessing the wrong killer like a rookie. When the reveal hit? Jaw. Dropped. Bonus points for creepy Halloween vibes, a small town that needs serious group therapy, and writing that balances suspense with emotional depth.

If you’re into fast-paced thrillers with soul, killer reveals (pun intended), and characters you’ll want to check on after the book ends—this one’s for you. Just maybe don’t read it alone at night.

CW: Among darker things, animal cruelty/harm. Not graphic but still tough. Definitely check other triggers but the details may be a bit spoiler-y.

I'm incredibly hard to please when it comes to thrillers, but this one was solid!! I found a lot of it predictable (and I'm not someone who tries to guess at endings) but the wrap up was still satisfying. So even with dome reveals bring easy to see coming, it didnt ruin the story. There’s a lot of info-dumping through dialogue (more than once kicked off by a character asking for a full rundown lol). But it’s still enjoyable, with some really beautiful writing, great character development, and a few striking metaphors for trauma.

The character depth was impressive. I found myself either rooting for or despising each of them. Flawed, layered, easy to love and hate or respect and loathe depending on the moment. This book is written in 3rd person limited with multiple POVs and it flows really well. Good balance of action and development without tipping too far into either.

One last thought, the Halloween factor didn’t really bring the spooky or autumn vibe I expected. But the story didn’t need it. My favorite borderline-creepy bits were great descriptions of dead bodies. I absolutely loved seeing Dolores in her professional environment. If we’re lucky, maybe we’ll get to see what she does next.

This is definitely my kinda book. Dark and atmospheric are my vibes and this book was full of them. My first time reading this author and was pleasantly surprised! It was one of those that you literally struggle to put down and that was my favorite thing about it! Plus you can never go wrong with halloween time. Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for the chance to read and review. I’ll def be recommending this to friends!

Dolores Hawthorne is a forensic pathologist and has not stepped foot in her hometown of little Hawthorne in almost 20 years. Out of the blue. She receives a phone call from the FBI and forming her that her father has gone missing. The final words. Her father spoke to her were to trust no one. Once she's in little Hawthorne, she receives a very cold welcome from both her family and the town's people. Determined to find out what happened to her father. Dolores goes down a rabbit hole that she can never come back from.

A man does this book capture the creepy vibes? Well. It is the most atmospheric creepy book I have read in a long long time! Perfect for the Halloween spooky season. What I thought was really cool. Is that interspersed with the main storyline you get bits from the past and reasons why Dolores has not been back to her hometown since then.

I will say darker than I had originally anticipated and I was not quite prepared for the part that cats play in this book. It's not a pretty picture. So if you're not comfortable reading about animal abuse of any kind, maybe give this book a wide birth. It's not super descriptive or really on page, but it's more prominent than you would think it would be given the cover.

This is an extremely well done debut book so I can only imagine what amazing things she's going to do from here.

Little Horton is a town renowned for its elaborate Halloween festivities and a dark legacy of violent, holiday-linked deaths. Dolores, who left Little Horton years ago because of painful memories and the oppressive weight of her family. But when the FBI informs her that her father has mysteriously vanished, Dolores has no choice but to return. She copes with stress by counting bones in her head, almost as if she were counting backwards from 10. Yet no amount of counting can change the unsettling reality that her father is missing, and his final warning was "trust no one". With Halloween rapidly approaching, Dolores must confront secrets, small-town elitism, and a past darker than anyone suspects.

This novel brilliantly captures a dark, atmospheric Halloween setting far more sinister than its festive surface suggests. It delves bravely into complex themes, highlighting the oppressive power dynamics among the town's wealthy elite and their disregard for the well-being of others, as well as many others. Dolores is a refreshingly raw and blunt protagonist, driven by a relentless quest for truth rather than niceties. Her fearless determination lends depth and authenticity to this moody, suspenseful thriller, making it an unforgettable and chilling read.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minatour Press for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.

Ready for a great read. You've found it. Never a dull moment. Very well written. Didn't want to put it down.

I was drawn in by the spooky cover of No Rest for the Wicked, and the story delivered exactly what I was hoping for. This suspenseful thriller is set around Halloween in a town obsessed with the holiday.

Dolores, who left town years ago and has been estranged from her family, is called back when her father goes missing. As she searches for answers alongside two FBI agents, the body count begins to rise.

The book is packed with family drama, murder, cover-ups, and strong Halloween vibes. Flashbacks to 2003 reveal the events that led Dolores to leave town in the first place. Fast-paced and atmospheric, this was a fun read that's perfect for spooky season.

3.5 stars rounded up

This is my first experience with Rachel Louise Adams. It will not be my last.

"No Rest for the Wicked" is a very well written thriller. The reader is sent on many wild goose chases, only to come up repeatedly empty.

If you want good writing and a good story, read this book!

Small town murder mystery story with hints of classism, family dynamics, friendship, teenage love and memories we choose to forget.

Favourite character: Kate Butcher - she made me laugh.

Rating: 3 stars

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the arc and thank you Netgalley.

4.5 stars! This was an excellent, character-driven thriller. Lots of twits and turns, family secrets, and clouded memories. The descriptions of the victims were pretty gruesome, so fair warning. Also, I really hope they change the cover! I just don't think people are going to pick this up because it looks like a cheesy, "cozy" mystery when it is, in fact, a pretty intense plot involving a serial killer.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books. This title will publish on September 16, 2025.

This one’s dark and even a little uncomfy at times, but deeply atmospheric and perfect for spooky season.

Rachel Louise Adams delivers a gripping, atmospheric debut in No Rest for the Wicked, a thriller that reads like a Halloween-set psychological horror film. Set in the small Midwestern town of Little Horton—famous for its over-the-top Halloween celebrations and dark history—the novel kicks off with the disappearance of a powerful senator. As panic spreads through the town, forensic pathologist Dolores Hawthorne is pulled back home to uncover the truth.

Dolores is a standout protagonist: sharp, emotionally guarded, and deeply haunted by her past. After nearly two decades away, she returns to a town that feels both familiar and menacing, greeted not with warmth but with cryptic warnings and chilling family dynamics. Her habit of counting the bones in her skull to keep herself grounded is a striking, unsettling motif that perfectly reflects the book’s eerie tone.

Adams writes with precision and control, expertly layering dread as Dolores unearths secrets that tie her family's legacy to the town’s violent traditions. The setting is particularly evocative—Adams turns cornfields, costumes, and carved pumpkins into harbingers of doom, crafting a Halloween backdrop that’s as sinister as it is celebratory.

With twists that land and a protagonist you can’t stop rooting for, No Rest for the Wicked is both a gripping mystery and a slow-burning exploration of generational trauma. It’s a chilling debut that leaves a mark and firmly establishes Adams as a talent to watch in the psychological thriller genre.



You said:

I received an ARC of No Rest for the Wicked from NetGalley, and I’m so glad I did! I’d give it 4.5 stars.

First, a quick note about the cover: the cats make it look like a cozy mystery, but this is not your typical cozy at all. Instead, it’s a layered, engaging mystery that follows Dolores as she returns to her hometown in Wisconsin after her father goes missing.

The story has a bit of a slow start — it took about a third of the book to really pull me in — but once it did, I was hooked. The mystery kept me guessing, though I did figure out some pieces before the characters did (which actually added to the tension).

This is Rachel Louise Adams’s debut novel, and I’m already looking forward to reading more from her. I really enjoyed the writing, the characters, and the twists. If you like a good small-town mystery with some grit (and don’t mind a bit of a slow burn at first), I definitely recommend picking this one up!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the ARC ebook. All opinions are my own.

The cover of this book is very misleading. This isn't your cutesy cozy murder for Halloween, it is a very dark, dark tale that sucked you in from the beginning. There were creepy Halloween vibes all the way through and the reveal at the end was a surprise.

I may need to read this one again this fall!

For some reason I just cannot get into this book. I keep falling asleep and then not remembering who anyone was. I thought it was a me problem but I was also reading another book at the time and did fine with one and after DNFing this one, I did fine with the next book so....yeah. it also kept randomly coming out with vulgar statements, which I don't like.

I could not put down this thriller! It was a little slow at times, but the ending made up for it. The cover is spooky and perfect, which initially intrigued me to the book. Dolores gets a call saying her estranged father went missing and she helps to find him despite not being in her hometown for over two decades. It was a very creepy read that is perfect for fall!