This was my most anticipated book this year so when I was able to read it early I dropped absolutely everything. It was well worth it. I was nervous it wouldn’t live up to my love for the first book, but it definitely comes close.

3.5 stars. Another entertaining mystery with Hazel Cho, PI. More people die in book 2. And I was truly shocked with the guilty person was revealed--didn't see that at all. I like how Miller wrote about a politician without getting political in the story--it can be done folks! It would be fun if this series continues. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

“Watching a man die is a tough way to spend your afternoon.”

This book pulled me in with the first sentence, but to be honest it wasn’t my favorite. I had a really hard time getting into this book. The main character, Hazel, was hard to like and seemed quite surface level. The twist at the end was pretty good, however it didn’t change the fact that the rest of the book was hard for me to read. I found myself having to force myself to pick it up.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read The Red Letter in exchange for my honest review.

I had the privilege of being an ARC for this book. I enjoyed it very much! I loved how we saw Hazel grow with her business after the first book, The Orphanage at the Lake. It was full of suspense wondering who was sending these letters and who would be next to receive the letter of death! Unfortunately Hazel just doesn't have the best of luck with her love life but I feel because its leading to who she really should be with. I like how Hazels character is relatable when it comes to her relationships and family. Im glad we can see how they dynamic is changing. Overall great book and story line.

The Red Letter by Daniel G. Miller is a spine-tingling, adrenaline-pumping thriller that had me hooked from page one and kept me on the edge of my seat until the final word. Hazel is a brilliant, complex protagonist whose life seems picture-perfect—until a murder case involving a mysterious red letter drags her into a chilling web of secrets, past traumas, and relentless suspense.

The pacing is flawless, the plot twists are genuinely shocking, and the tension never lets up. Every time I thought I had it figured out (which was many times), Daniel G. Miller hit me with another curveball. There was never a dull moment—every chapter ended with me needing to know more.

If you’ve never read The Orphanage by the Lake, I highly recommend starting there before diving into The Red Letter, as this book includes some spoilers from that book. Plus, the emotional depth and layered flashbacks in The Red Letter hit even harder when you have the full backstory.

On a romance note... I need to see Hazel and Bobby Riether together asap!

Overall, this book was an absolute thrill ride from start to finish. I loved every second of it and cannot recommend it highly enough. A masterclass in suspense—I’d give it more than five stars if I could!

Release: July 22, 2025
Author: Daniel G. Miller
Publisher: Poisoned pen press

Rating: 4 ★ 

Hazel’s life is finally on track—her private investigation firm is thriving, her love life is solid, and even her tough-to-please mother seems proud. But everything changes when a local priest is found dead with a strange red letter by his side. When Hazel agrees to look into the case as a favor to a friend, she quickly realizes this isn’t an isolated murder. More victims start turning up, each one tied to a red letter—and one of them connects to a dark part of Hazel’s past she thought was long behind her. As the killings continue and the mystery deepens, Hazel is forced to confront not only a dangerous killer, but truths about herself and those closest to her. To stop the murders, she may have to open one final, chilling letter.

This book was such a ride! It’s the second in the Hazel series, but you could easily jump into it without reading the first—though now I definitely want to go back and reread the whole thing from the beginning.

Hazel’s back on a new case after a neighborhood priest is found dead with a red letter in hand. What starts as a favor quickly turns into something much darker when more victims—and more red letters—start to surface. The suspense had me hooked from the beginning, with twists in nearly every chapter. Just when I thought I had the killer figured out, the story would pull the rug out from under me again.

I liked Hazel more this time around too—she felt sharper, more grounded, and the emotional layers really came through. The tone was darker, and the stakes were higher, which made the whole thing feel even more intense. I loved that the mystery wasn’t just about solving a murder, but also about Hazel facing parts of her past she thought she’d buried. The character development, the clever clues, and even the subtle humor all worked together really well.

This one’s gripping, twisty, and smart. Definitely recommend if you’re into thrillers that keep you on your toes—and make you care about the people caught in the middle of it all. Can’t wait to see what Hazel faces next!

Favorite Quote:
"what if the key to your salvation is hidden in the very thing you've spent your life running from?"

This was a solid follow up to The Orphanage by the Lake! I love Hazel and Kenny and was very glad to hang out with them again.
I figured out who the killer was pretty early on, but still really enjoyed reading all the twists and turns!
I hope there are more books to follow!

thank you @netgalley for this ARC.
Part of The Orphanage by the Lake
Pub Date Jul 22 2025

A DEAD BODY. A MYSTERIOUS RED LETTER.

Hazel has everything she wants.

Business is booming at her boutique private investigation firm. She's dating the man of her dreams. Even her perpetually skeptical mother seems impressed. Then the NYPD finds a beloved neighborhood priest dead along with a mysterious red letter.

Hazel investigates the murder as a favor to an old friend and discovers that the priest wasn't the only recent murder victim to receive a red letter...and one victim has ties to a psychopath from a past life that Hazel thought she had buried. One by one, the red letters continue to appear, and with every letter, another killing, each more mysterious than the last.

As Hazel closes in on the killer, the killer closes in on her, and Hazel begins to question everything she thought she knew about herself and the people around her. Even worse, Hazel discovers that the only way to find the truth is to open one more...


The first book was gripping gripping, suspenseful journey but I didn't like the detective however this book is another case of her and this time I liked it. It's a part of Hazel series but also you can read this as standalone. I liked the suspense elements and the letter theme, very gripping with twist and turns in every chapter.

I got an ARC of this book because I loved the first one! This one was so good! On the end of my seat the whole time! I did guess the killer a little over half way through but that definitely didn’t take away from the story!!

This second book in the series is one that I enjoyed even more than the first. The bleak tone matches the sense of dread that seeps over Hazel as she gets drawn into a new case involving a serial killer. The stakes are higher than before too, with someone following her from the moment she begins investigating. Despite the tension, I enjoyed how her humour still shone through in the narration. Two things I struggle to find in thrillers are a main character who is actually smart, and a reveal that I didn’t see coming. I’m glad that on top of everything else this book did well, it also had both of those. Looking forward to reading more books in this series.

This is the second book in the series. I loved the first one. This one continues where the first left off. Hazel is on to her next case after a priest dies. She's asked to find the killer.. She discovers it's the work of a serial killer. She could be the next victim. This is the second book I've read by Daniel G Miller, and he definitely knows how to write thrillers. This one has some light romance, but it's not the focus of the book.

I was hopeful that some of what I didn’t like from the first book would improve but unfortunately I’m left with the same dissatisfactions. Definitely seems like it will be a fun series for some, but not for me.

Goodness me, this was such a good book. Highly entertaining. Would definitely recommend to others, that's for sure!

Ok, WOW! This murder mystery was quite the ride! I thought I had the culprit figured out more than once—but I was wrong every time. No spoilers here, but… woaaaah! The twists kept me guessing until the very end.

Even though I hadn’t read the first book in the series, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to follow the story. I never felt lost or confused, which is a huge win. In fact, this book was so good, I now have to go back and read the first one!

Beyond the thrilling mystery, the emotional depth of the characters really stood out. Their complexity and growth added so much to the story and made it more than just a standard whodunit.

Highly recommend—whether you’re new to the series or already a fan!

This was a unique read. I did read the first book in the series and this one filed right in line. It was an twist and turn book that kept me engaged the entire time. I did enjoy how the characters were each described too. I felt like I knew the characters and I felt the emotions. I cant wait for the next book in this series!

In *Red Letter*, Hazel, a private investigator, is drawn into a chilling murder case when a beloved priest is found dead alongside a mysterious red letter. As more murders unfold, each linked to the cryptic letters, Hazel must confront a terrifying past and a relentless killer who may be closer to her than she ever imagined.

Private eye Hazel is asked to join a defense attorney to help find evidence acquitting her young client. The murder he is charged with soon becomes multiple murders, all involving first the receipt of a red letter with a biblical quote and drawings done in animal blood. The murderer is never seen and leaves no clues at the scene.
It is common in a murder mystery or other thriller novel for the reader to suspend belief in order to go with the flow of the story. In The Red Letter, author Daniel G. Miller pushes that beyond what I was able to suspend. The criminal gets too many passes on reality for me to believe that these crimes could have happened multiple times with no one the wiser as to the culprit.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was the first book I have ready by Daniel Miller. I can assure you, it will not be the last.

The characters of this book draw me in. Hazel is private investigator that you can't help but adore. She is cunning, intelligent, and she draws you in as the reader. While some may find her rude, I find it as realistic to what the author was trying to portray the personality of this character. The plot is about priest receiving a "red letter" that is actually poisoned and written in blood and Hazel is tasked with trying to solve the murder. The plot in my opinion was well thought out and had some twists and turns in it that I like to see with any good thriller book that I am reading.

Overall, I gave this book 4 stars because I actually ended up predicting the ending. However, I highly recommend this book. Especially to those reader who may be newer to the thriller genre.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for my honest review.

When Hazel Cho is asked to investigate the murder of a beloved neighborhood priest, her life is soon consumed by a mysterious murdererthat leaves a red letter for his victims before their deaths. All is not as it seems as Hazel is pulled into this case as her dreamy boyfriend runs for office and her newly revamped office for her private investigation firm gets off the ground.
A novel that takes you in from the first page, The Red Letter is a winner.

Firstly thank you for sending me this arc.

I loved the first book in this series so was really looking forward to this one. Sadly it didn’t live up to my expectations. Honestly I’m not sure why but there was just something missing from this for me. I wasn’t gripped by the plot & I found the ending to be quite predictable. I did like the anonymous chapters though, I felt they added a really part to the story.