What a great book this was! Thriller, true crime documentary, mystery all in one book. Absolutely loved the story and the main character.
One of the best books I've read in past 12 months, which is saying something as I read a book per week.
Story starts of great, I was hooked on page one. It got little long towards the middle and ramped up right after.
Lots of twists in the story, likeable characters. I would happily read another book if this became a series.
The writing was exceptionally good, I was very surprised to find this was author's first book, when I've searched to buy more. I would not be surprised if this was a famous written, writing under a pseudonym.

A remote town that has been rocked by a triple murder. The sons of the two most respected families in the town were discovered dead in a parking lot, their throats cut. A third man was also found dead at the scene. An ex-con, few people are mourning his death. A local woman, Willow Snell, is in prison for the murders, having been found at the scene of the crime with no memory of what happened.
Local woman Marty Gray, who has known her own share of family heartache, is not convinced that the case is as clear cut as people want to believe. She determines to start her own investigation.
Unfortunately, with her recent foray into podcasting Marty has got a bit of a reputation in town. Though she examined the case of two missing backpackers with the best of intentions, the fallout makes it hard for her to be trusted. She is certain that the two cases are linked. Someone is determined that she be scared off looking too deeply into this case…someone who has a vested interest in keeping the activities of the towns’ golden boys a secret.
Marty is not always the most circumspect of characters, but her heart is in the right place. I liked her determination to find answers, and in the process the fact she got some form of closure for her own situation.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this.

3.5 stars, rounded up! This is the perfect cozy mystery for anyone who loves a good whodunit. It kept me guessing the whole time. I was trying to figure out who did it right alongside Marty!

The plot twists are so much fun, and I was hooked from the very beginning.

What I love most about this book is that it’s a great intro to the mystery/thriller genre if you’re not into super intense stuff. It’s like the perfect gateway book—engaging, fun, and not too scary. Plus, the setting is just so cozy (I mean, a small town and Ghost Mountain? Yes, please!).

This was a fun, easy read that kept me entertained. I definitely recommend it. Trust me, you’ll love Marty and her determination to solve the mystery. Give it a try!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review of this book!

20 years ago eight-year-old Marty Grey's younger brother disappeared on the walk back home through the woods - she turned around & he had gone. Now 28, Marty still lives in the same house & keeps watch, waiting for her brother to come home. The search for her brother led Marty to an interest in true crime podcasts & she eventually started 'Welcome to Murdertown' looking at the disappearance of two female backpackers on nearby Ghost Mountain. Unfortunately it backfired spectacularly leaving Marty almost a pariah in the town & now, when the sister of one of three men killed in a mall car park asks Marty to look into the case, she is reluctant because of what happened before, but the more she looks at the evidence the more she knows that something isn't right.

Wow, this is definitely my Read of the Month! I flew through two-thirds of the book in one sitting, it was as if it was tailor-made for me: true crime, unsolved disappearances, & a supposedly haunted ghost town. Sign me up! Marty is a great main character, imperfect but you can empathise with her & what she has been through. It also had good pacing & the storyline was well planned out. I did work out most of what was going on but not all. Verdict: a really good read. Recommended. 4.5 stars (rounded up)

My thanks to NetGalley & author, Rian Wynne, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Marty Gray doesn’t know how to let things go. Her brother’s disappearance, a case of two missing hitchhikers, and now three men killed in a parking lot. Will she be able to uncover the latest mystery? Or will it all blow up in her face…again?

A psychological thriller full of mystery, cover-ups, and grief.
I liked the eeriness of Ghost Mountain, the chilling atmosphere of the setting. Not unique per se, but still slightly creepy and unsettling.
‘Weird’ Marty Gray, our main character, was a decent heroine, if not maybe a tad too nosy for her own good. She’s determined to find the truth, even risking her life to unmask the ghosts and secrets of Murdertown.

I had a bit of a hard time with the storyline, but the ending was somewhat satisfying.

This is fast paced thriller which is enjoyable quick read; however, I didn't connect with any of characters or particulary like any of them, but I didn't ave any other strong feelings towards this book either. I didn't love it and I didn't hate it so it gets a solid middle rating of 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC.
I really enjoyed this and it was really fast paced and addicting. This was a fun time and kept me guessing the whole time, I loved seeing everything fall into place and learning the truth behind the murders.
If you like small town mysteries, I think you’re going to like Welcome to Murdertown.

★★★★.5

Marty Gray’s life and identity have been shaped by her brother’s disappearance nearly 20 years ago. She is seeking closure, but unlike the people around her, she needs to know what happened before she can finally move on.

When two Norwegian backpackers, Astrid and Linnea, disappear nearby, Marty decides to start a podcast in an attempt to uncover the truth and bring the families of the two girls some closure. If anyone understands the importance of closure, it must be Marty. Rumors swirl around the case—after all, the girls vanished in the small, abandoned ghost town of Golden, at the base of Ghost Mountain, part of the Blue Mountain Range.

“It’s Ghost Mountain, you know? Weird things happen.”

Astrid was found dead a few days after her disappearance, with a heart condition believed to have caused her death. But Marty suspects there’s more to the story. In her mind, the evidence just doesn’t add up. All that remains is a YouTube video of the two girls in a local bar, singing a made-up song that now feels eerily close to the truth:

♬♪♫ “It’s a ghost town / There’s nothing to see / But don’t look / Don’t look for me…” ♫♪♬

And then, there’s the chilling, heartbreaking final message from the still-missing Linnea: “I’m here.”

Most locals moved on, but things in Plymouth didn’t stay quiet for long. Another murder occurred—the Parking Lot Murders. The victims: two of the town’s golden boys and an unknown local who barely garners any media attention. Once again, things don’t add up. Another half-hearted investigation identifies what must be the least likely suspect in history! Despite the fallout from her attempted podcast nearly a year ago, Marty feels it’s up to her to uncover the truth and bring closure to the victims’ families…

”Welcome to Murdertown? More like Welcome to My Overactive Imagination.”

What a fantastic book! I was a little hesitant to read yet another crime novel centered around a podcast, but in this story, it wasn’t the focus. The story was well-written—definitely not a debut, as confirmed by the writer. Rian Wynne writes under a pen name—a mystery surrounding the mystery—I am here for it!

The character development was amazing, as was the atmospheric setting. Marty is a unique character—flawed at times, but you can’t fault her. Growing up in the shadow of her brother’s disappearance in a small town with no resolution, always being reminded of what was and what could have been, she felt incredibly relatable. Rian Wynne did an excellent job bringing her to life! The description of the twice-abandoned ghost town and the eerie woods surrounding both Max’s and the backpackers’ disappearances made it feel like I was right there, hiking alongside Marty.

As for the mystery, I was utterly clueless! Other than knowing that the world’s least likely suspect was about to be charged, I had no idea what was going on—it was perfect! I highly recommend you check this out!

Thank you NetGalley and Rian Wynne for an early copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.


Marty Gray was running with her brother in the woods when they were children and he disappeared without a trace. His vanishing has haunted her all these years. While her parents moved away in an effort to move on, she stayed behind, always leaving the porch light on in hopes he would return home.

Since then, there have been more disappearances and murders that can’t be explained. The police took everything at face value, but Weird Marty Gray suspects there may be more to these crimes than meets the eye.

I had mixed feelings about this story. I went in without expectations and it was a good time. I liked the Podcast element of the story and mostly enjoyed Marty as a main character. She could be insufferable at times, but as a single female living alone, I suspected I was more afraid for her than she was for herself. On the one hand, her perseverance made me anxious, as I was afraid of the repercussions. On the other hand, her unwillingness to give up and let things go is what I liked about her.

I felt the story was pretty predictable. There was one small secondary plot twist I hadn’t expected, but for the most part, I had guessed the whodunnits. I would still recommend this book to readers I think would enjoy it. I think it was a decent story and I had a good time. I’ll definitely try another book from this author to see if it hits the mark more for me.

At first, this book was hard to get through because almost nothing happens in the first half. I don’t really get why people hated the main female character so much because of her podcast—even to the point of sending her threats. That just seems ridiculous to me. Though, to be fair, she annoyed me the entire time. There’s way too much focus on how everyone hates and misunderstands her. If that part were cut down, the book would be half as long, and the plot would move a lot faster.

This was a great murder mystery that has me guessing throughout who was the killer/killers. I felt engaged the whole time I was reading and it was a fairly fast paced book. I enjoyed the main character and her determination to redeem herself and try to find out who the killer was. She was dealing with something similar with her brother who has gone missing and had not been found. I didn’t predict how it would end and I enjoyed the book overall.

Thank you for letting me review this book.
Great characters
Fast paced
Good plot
Quick enjoyable read.
Honestly give it a chance.

I absolutely loved everything about this book. It was a very great storyline and easy to follow. Very hard to put down once I started. Can’t wait to read more from this Author!

Honest Netgalley ARC Review: This was a really fun mystery story that I got sucked into. The plot and the characters made me invested and I was eager to find answers just like the main character. Marty lives in a small town and is known as the weird girl. After her brother goes missing in the woods when they are kids she is seen as an outcast. Everyone has been able to move on with their life but Marty can’t. When she is adult she starts a Podcast about two tourists who visit the local ghost town and the tragedy that follows. Although she has the best intentions the Podcast is a major failure and adds to the ostracization of Marty. When a women she knew in school is arrested for the murder of three men she is intrigued and befuddled by the story. Marty is not convinced that the police are doing their job and starts looking into things herself. With grief for her brother still heavy in her heart and hate mail from her failed Podcast still flowing, Marty starts an investigation to find out the truth once and for all. The mystery aspect of this book was really enjoyable. Slowly finding clues and learning the connections between all the incidents and people was really exciting. The more I learned about all the characters the more invested I became. I really enjoyed Marty and found her to be so human. She was passionate about wanting to help others find peace and closure even if it didn’t go the way she wanted. I think Marty is a very relatable character and anyone who has experienced loss in their life can understand her actions. There was a bit of suspense and thrilling action towards the end that had me flipping the pages very quickly. This was a great mystery book and a very enjoyable and quick read. Check this out if you enjoy mystery books with intrigue, finding justice, Podcast elements, small town setting, investigations, grief, and learning to live without all the answers.

Thank you for letting me read this book in advance. It was so entrancing. Had me captivated from the start and couldn't put it down. Stayed up until 3 am trying to finish it in one night.

Small town? Quadruple homicide? Final showdown? YES PLS!

I genuinely enjoy this novel. Welcome to Murdertown is a fun, engaging, and twisty new mystery, and I absolutely loved the way it was written. It was so conversational and I felt like I was on the same level as the main character in terms of lightbulb moments, which I find very rarely in mystery books. I thought the writing was excellent, the dialogue was meaningful and realistic, the characters were fleshed out and relatable, and the plot was well thought out and very intriguing. And the open ending was so perfect, I loved it!

I felt myself trying to solve the mystery and unable to rest until I got to the bottom of it. It was definitely a crazy ride, and I would highly recommend this to all mystery lovers and Lisa Jewell fans out there (It seriously gave off None of This is True vibes!)

My only qualm was that I never felt I knew the main character very well. We got a clear sense of how out of place she has felt since the disappearance of her brother when she was little, but who was she before? She was young so I understand the inability to dive too deep into her background, but a little more insight into the kind of kid she was and how much she changed would’ve been interesting!

I love a podcast aspect in books and the failed podcast makes this one even better bc no one believes poor Marty. Who does a great job solving the mystery. I found this easy to read, it was quick, and the story made sense at the end.

Well, it has a potential in writing and plotting but I think, an editor is needed to trim unnecessary plot/scenes. The chapters also felt disjointed I got confused before finally understand. But seriously, it's way too long.

I love a good suspense story and this book was no diffeeent. I really enjoy the psychological mind games and the characters throughout this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rian Wynne for this ARC!

I actually enjoyed this so so much!

I loved following our main character go through hell and back to solve this small town mystery. I ended up feeling really connected to Marty and her story.

I was constantly wanting to keep reading to find out what would eventually happen, this book really kept me hooked from the very first chapter.

Although I did guess correctly on some of the things in this mystery I still enjoyed it a lot.

Without giving too much away… I kinda hope we can see another story following Marty and seeing where she gets with the one unsolved mystery, I think that would be really fun to see where how this would wrap up, and also because I’m dying to know what really happened!

I’m super excited to see what this author brings out next! I loved the writing style and the pace so can’t wait for more 🫶