No Rest for the Wicked is the debut novel by Rachel Louise Adams. Based on the cover alone, I thought this was going to be a fun cozy Halloween whodunit mystery with cute black cats. It is not. It is a pretty sad mystery, actually, and the cats don't really have a lot to do with the story other than they are running amok in the town and being captured/euthanized at the local pound. The story is set in a Midwestern city that is famous for its Halloween obsession and decorations, but also its history of murders on that date. Doloros left home twenty years ago and hasn't returned (for reasons that are slowly revealed); however, she's received news that her father (the former mayor of the city but now a US Senator) has gone missing. Dolores returns to her family home, and the mystery deepens.

I did really enjoy this book; however, there are a lot of deep, significant topics going on in here. It's not a cute, cozy Halloween book for sure. Please check your trigger warnings before reading. The book is well written, and the pacing is medium to fast. I loved all the characters. There were a few surprises in this mystery thriller that I hadn't seen coming, which is always lovely! I really enjoyed the female camaraderie in this one!

If you enjoy dark, spooky thrillers with a mystery/horror vibe, you will probably enjoy this book. I would recommend it for older readers only due to mature themes of rape, etc. Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

No Rest for the Wicked was such a fun, engaging read that blended romance and suspense in the best way. I loved how the tension between the main characters crackled on the page, with witty banter and undeniable chemistry. The plot moved quickly, and I found myself completely caught up in the action and intrigue. What impressed me most was how the author balanced the darker, suspenseful elements with humor and heart. It had that perfect mix of danger, swoon, and page-turning twists that kept me hooked. Overall, a fresh and entertaining story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The opening chapter immediately hooked me, which is no easy feat. I loved the small-town setting—it had that charming “Star Hollow” vibe from Gilmore Girls that made it feel cozy and inviting. Dolores was an especially strong character, reminding me of Brennan from Bones—brilliant, quirky, and a little hard to figure out at first. Her vulnerability paired with her resilience really pulled me in.

The first half of the story was strong, setting up an intriguing mystery with themes of memory suppression and scattered clues. But the character development felt uneven—only Dolores and Wyatt truly felt fleshed out, while others remained more like background players. The pacing in the second half was also a sharp contrast, moving so quickly that the ending felt predictable and lacked impact.

Even so, the setup and atmosphere made this a worthwhile read, and I’m excited to see what this Rachel Louise Adams delivers next.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an amazing thriller. I was hooked from the first page and couldn’t put it down. Dolores was such an interesting main character and I liked how the author slowly pulled back the curtain to reveal her secrets, like why she had not been back to Little H. I also liked the use of other narrators and thought that really added to the story. All of the characters were compelling and I particularly enjoyed Dolores’ family. The ending was so satisfying and not at all what I saw coming. Such a great read!!

I don't think I was in the right headspace at the time for No Rest for the Wicked...I don't quite know what I wasn't into but sadly this book wasn't for me.

Small town suspense/mystery with a little bit of horror mixed on centering around Halloween. The town of Little Horton is famous for it's Halloween celebrations right before the holiday the former mayor and U.S. senator goes missing brining his estranged daughter home to the town she hasn't been to in eighteen years. I liked this story enjoyed the multiple POV of the characters and the flashbacks, had some good twists and was a decent mystery. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pre read : I saw This book on my Instagram in a story of someone I love to follow and I did not hesitate for a second afterwards.

“In the OR, every second is life or death, but this was all - death.”

I loved my reading! Everything is happening fast and we quickly start trying to understand what happened and who is the culprit (for my part I was not far away!) That the main character is a medical examiner was original. In short, I devoured this book and there is no doubt that it will join my physical library (and I have already recommended it to all my friends)

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

A promising debut! I would definitely read more from this author. Some of it was completely implausible - no one in criminal justice would allow a family member to take part in the investigation, never mind the autopsy - but somehow that didn't bother me. And as the author states in her notes, she didn't do a lot of research because this is fiction. Can't argue with that. Some parts of the mystery were very easy to guess, and fairly early on, but one of the two big twists towards the end really surprised me. Kudos to the author for pulling that off. Don't judge this one by the misleading cover - frankly, the feral cat sideline was weird and had almost no place here. Good writing and pacing with some very likeable characters. If this is the start of a series, I'm here for it.

This book was a fabulous thriller about a small town with rich people being naughty. A local politician goes missing who happens to be Dolores' father. She left right after high school and didn't look back. This story was heartbreaking, and it had you blaming everyone because her father told her in a letter not to trust anyone. I thought I may have known who "dunnit", but I was wrong! There are flashbacks to when Dolores was in high school and some of the things that happened to her. As the reader, that was one of the things that we were able to figure out, but not all the parts involved. This was such an amazing book, fast paced, and some of the characters broke your heart, while others were just not great people.

Add this to your October TBR! The perfect spooky season thriller.

This story centers around Dolores, who left her quiet, small town after a traumatic Halloween night during her senior year, vowing to never return. That vow changes when her father, a local politician, goes missing. She comes home to a step-family who has struggled to understand why she left and never looked back. One missing person quickly turns into two more murders and the discovery of human remains. Something is clearly going on. Dolores gets involved in the detective work as the doctor who typically performs autopsies is one of the murder victims, and she, conveniently, works with dead bodies for a living.

The narrative shifts between present-day events and scenes from Dolores’s past, and you also get the POV of the detectives working the case. Solving the crimes of the present means digging up secrets from the past in this small town. The mystery goes deep, all the way to a secret that broke up two powerful families and is connected to Dolores’s terrible Halloween night years ago.

I loved the writing and narration for this ALC. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and the slow burn of secrets being revealed was so satisfying. This was exactly the kind of thriller I was looking for.

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Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 9/16/25.

Set in the Halloween obsessed town of Little Horton, Wisconsin, No Rest for the Wicked is an atmospheric and chilling mystery that pulled me in from the very first page. I quite literally could not put it down once I started. Forensic pathologist Dolores Hawthorne/Diaz is called back to the hometown she swore she’d left behind, only to find herself caught in a spiral of dead bodies, family secrets, and a missing father whose last words warned her to “trust no one.”

What stood out most to me were the characters. Dolores is deeply flawed and complex, her struggles and imperfections bring both realism and levity to a dark story. I loved her quirky siblings, Asher and Josie, who add depth and humor, and I especially appreciated the unexpected nuance given to her “wicked” stepmother, who is a blend of misunderstood and at times malicious character. These relationships ground the story and make the high stakes feel even more intense.

The mystery is wonderfully layered. As bodies began to surface, its a race for the FBI and Dolores to figure out who the perpetrator is. I was certain I’d figured out who was behind it all but the reveal shocked me completely. Rachel Louise Adams masterfully balances eerie atmosphere, forensic detail, family drama, and edge of your seat suspense.

Trigger warning: mentions of past sexual assault in memories, murder, kidnapping.

Overall, this book is a dark, addictive, and unforgettable ride. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy flawed heroines, small town gothic vibes, and mysteries that keep you guessing until the very end.

I did receive an advanced reader copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Forensic pathologist Dolores Diaz is called home to Little Horton, Wisconsin, when her father goes missing. She left town at eighteen and hasn't been back or communicated with her family for about 16 years. She left because of an incident that she has blocked from her memory and isn't eager to uncover what she has forgotten.

Dolores' father left a note telling her not to trust anyone and the FBI in the persons of FBI Special Agents Wyatt Holt and Paul Turner want to know why. Dolores has to face the past she left behind and uncover long-buried memories to survive because her father's death is just the first.

I enjoyed this twisty mystery with an intriguing main character who counts skull bones rather than to ten when she needs to regain control. I liked the flashbacks to 2003 where the cause of her memory lapse begins.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Rachel Louise Adams for the Arc of No Rest for the Wicked. It’s been a while since I’ve read a thriller and so I was excited to have the opportunity to read the advanced copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was a pretty quick read, and if I had to give any constructive criticism it might be that I felt like it was *too quick* I would have enjoyed another 20 pages with some more interactions between Dolores and her siblings and some more interaction between her and the townsfolk. The relationship she had with her siblings was super interesting but I wish we had had more of it.

The general whodunit of the book had me hooked and I was genuinely interested in seeing the motivations and how it all panned out. I also loved that there were two separate mysteries running concurrently throughout the book.

Overall a great, quick read for mystery lovers alike and for those potentially just getting into the genre!

4.5⭐️A great debut for Rachel Louise Adams. The book was really amazing... i was hooked right from the first page. I loved the small town Halloween vibes which release day will be right on time for spooky season 👻

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was an enjoyable reading experience.

This is a fairly graphic murder mystery. Also contains foul language. It did capture my attention and keep me turning the pages. While my guesses may have been right, there are still surprises. There also feels as if there could be an epilogue. Despite all the terrible things that happened, I wanted a nice, neat wrap up where all the guilty are held accountable. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

No Rest for the Wicked by Rachel Louise Adams

Dolores Diaz, a forensic pathologist in LA, is called back to her hometown in Minnesota after leaving there 18 years ago. Her beloved father is missing. The story all gravitates around people she knew from her childhood and how they fit in to helping her find her dad.

Misunderstandings abound, but the truth eventually wins out and Dolores finds her footing to mend old hurts and even resolve another long time hometown mystery. A solid four star story, I’ll recommend this one to mature mystery readers.

At first glance online, I thought the cover was owls. It is cats! There is a very teeny plot that involves cats. I read an early review that almost kept me away from this due to my love for cats. They play a minor role in the plot. the town has a high population of feral cats. Yes, would I prefer that this plot point didn't exist, absolutely yes. No cat death on page, but it is mentioned. The cover also gives more cozy mystery vibes than this really is. It isn't a very graphic mystery but this isn't a cute cozy either with a bookstore or cafe.

Perfect read for those who want a fall setting with a mystery. For the spooky reader who wants lite Halloween vibes.

Dolores is a forensic pathologist who left town year ago due to a mysterious event that happened around Halloween while in high school. Since leaving, her relationship with family is strained to non-existent. when her father goes missing, she is forced to finally make an appearance. On the surface the town seems to be a fun town that loves Halloween. Underneath all of that are plenty of secrets and lies. As a few more bad things happen, including murder, Dolores is forced to reckon with her past. The secrets are slowly revealed. The mystery was compelling and kept me turning the pages. Dolores may not have an accurate recollection of the past. Memory is tricky. One of the police officers has a grudge against Dolores, but the reason isn't very rationale.

I enjoyed how the author layered a present day mystery with the past without placing a majority of the book in the past. Many of the reveals about the past came from the present day events jogging the memories of several characters. Liked the fall vibes!

Definitely recommend!

Thank you to Net Galley and Minotaur books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very good thriller. I have to agree with another reviewer, however that the cover art is very misleading. While it looks like a cozy Halloween mystery, this is actually a very dark twisted tale involving sexual assault and multiple murders. I was surprised at how effective this book was at all the twists and turns and was riveted throughout.

From the moment I opened "No Rest for the Wicked," I was drawn into the deceptively sinister world of Little Horton. Adams creates a Halloween-obsessed town that feels like it's wearing a mask, festive decorations barely concealing something deeply wrong beneath the surface. This isn't your cozy autumn setting; there's a persistent undercurrent of dread that follows forensic pathologist Dolores Hawthorne as she returns home to investigate her father's disappearance.

The family dynamics absolutely shine in this thriller. Dolores's relationships with her estranged siblings crackle with tension, years of resentment, misunderstandings, and buried pain bubbling to the surface. Yet Adams skillfully weaves in threads of hope as these fractured relationships begin to heal amidst the chaos. These aren't one-dimensional characters but complex individuals carrying their own burdens.

What impressed me most was how Adams peels back layers of family secrets like a slow-motion car crash you can't look away from. Each revelation connects brilliantly to Dolores's trauma, making the mystery personal and devastating.

The theme of unreliable memory runs throughout the novel. Dolores's hazy recollections are mirrored by other characters, creating a disorienting effect that had me questioning everything alongside her. Adams handles this brilliantly, allowing memories to crystallize at precisely the right moments.

I did figure out part of the mystery before the reveal, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment—the "why" proved more compelling than the "who."

"No Rest for the Wicked" balances its murder mystery with emotional family drama in perfect proportion. It's a story about memory, trauma, vengeance, and the possibility of reconciliation. If you enjoy thrillers where the past haunts the present, this book deserves a spot on your reading list.

Special thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for my advance copy. As always, the thoughts shared here are completely my own.