Almost a year after bringing down a child sex trafficking ring and nearly losing her life, Hazel Cho has a new boyfriend who is running for mayor of NYC and has expanded her PI business with her lovable goofball roommate, Kenny. When her law school friend Shavali, now a public defender trying to keep a young man out of jail, tries to bring her in to investigate the death of a beloved Manhattan priest, Hazel wants nothing to do with the case. But when new information is revealed, indicating something bigger at play, Hazel begrudgingly changes her mind. Can Hazel and her team catch the killer before the next red letter is received and another person loses their life? The Red Letter is the second in the Hazel Cho series, which keeps getting better. I loved the first book, but the character development and descriptions were deeper and more vibrant in The Red Letter. I blew through it and can not wait for the next installment.

I didn’t read The Orphanage but felt this worked great as a stand alone. It was good but not the best thriller I’ve read. It did keep me engaged and I did enjoy it.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book. Mysteries and thrillers are my favorite books to read and Miller really delivered the chilling story of the summer with The Red Letter. There were elements that intrigued me about the characters and the overall story was creative and gripping.

The Red Letter follows private investigator Hazel Cho as she’s pulled into the chilling case of a murdered priest who received a mysterious red letter before his death. When more victims start turning up with the same ominous warning, Hazel finds herself racing to uncover the truth while confronting unsettling connections to her own past.

I really liked the premise and thought Hazel was a strong and layered lead. The emotional stakes added depth, and there were so many red herrings that I kept second guessing myself right up to the reveal. I did enjoy the twist, which completely caught me off guard.

That said, the pacing felt a little sporadic. Some sections really flew, while others dragged and made it harder to stay fully engaged. Still, it’s a clever thriller with a memorable concept and enough suspense to keep you curious until the end.


Thank you to NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged from start to finish and had some moments that really stood out. Overall, it offered an entertaining reading experience.

The Red Letter by Daniel G. Miller is an amazing sequel in The Orphanage By The Lake Series. I didn't think Hazel's story could get any more intriguing, but I was wrong; this read kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time with its addictive, fast-paced suspense. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

If you like popcorn mysteries or twisty thrillers, this book is for you. There were so many plot points that genuinely made my jaw drop. Daniel G Miller took a lot of risks in this book and they paid off. Our favorite main character Hazel Cho investigates a murder as a favor to a friend - a priest has seemingly been poisoned, and other high profile people meet the same fate after receiving a red letter in the mail. No one is above suspicion, and I did not see the ending coming - and I am hard to fool!

Thank you for access to this ARC :)

Review: The Red Letter by Daniel G. Miller

Daniel G. Miller’s The Red Letter is a fast-paced, emotionally charged thriller that grabs hold from page one and never lets go. Centered around Hazel, a private investigator with a thriving business and seemingly idyllic life, the novel wastes no time plunging her into a disturbing mystery that’s far more personal than she expects. When a beloved priest turns up dead beside a crimson-hued letter, Hazel agrees to help as a favor, but what begins as a one-off case spirals into something darker and deeper.

Miller constructs a tightly woven plot full of clever misdirection, where red herrings abound and the tension ratchets with each new discovery. What makes this story compelling isn’t just the suspense—it’s Hazel herself. She’s smart, resilient, and emotionally complex, and the deeper she digs into the murders, the more she must confront hard truths about her past and the people closest to her. Her vulnerability is as gripping as the mystery, and watching her unravel the case while navigating internal turmoil adds an extra layer of urgency.

What truly sets The Red Letter apart is the eerie symbolism of the letters themselves: a chilling calling card that ties each victim together and keeps the reader guessing until the very end. Miller handles this motif with precision, never overplaying it, allowing the slow creep of dread to work its magic. The writing is lean and propulsive, and the short chapters make it almost impossible to stop reading. I tore through the book in under a day.

This is a thriller that thrives on twists, but it also resonates emotionally. It’s for readers who enjoy sharp plotting and deeply human stakes. With Hazel as our guide, each revelation feels earned, and each setback hits hard. Fans of psychological thrillers and crime dramas will find a lot to love here. I’d absolutely read Daniel G. Miller again.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinion are my own.

This one had me hooked from the jump and didn’t let go.

The Red Letter is the second in the series, but it reads perfectly well as a standalone (though having read the first book made me feel more connected to Hazel). It leans more procedural mystery than breakneck thriller, but that absolutely worked for me—it’s smart, twisty, and full of creeping dread.

The story begins with a chilling mystery: people are receiving red letters that serve as warnings of their own impending death—complete with hand-drawn illustrations and ominous Bible verses. Hazel is pulled into the investigation, but as the case unfolds, the danger gets personal—her boyfriend receives a letter, and eventually Hazel herself. Suddenly, it’s not just about solving a case—it’s about survival.

The suspense builds steadily, and the pacing is excellent, with a lingering sense of unease that kept me flipping pages late into the night. Hazel is a strong, relatable lead—determined, vulnerable, and easy to root for—and the emotional stakes elevate the already gripping plot.

I loved trying to piece together the mystery alongside Hazel. I was breathless, second-guessing everyone, and desperate to beat the killer to the next clue. Emotional, eerie, and refreshingly different—this one checked all the right boxes.

A smart, suspenseful read with heart, danger, and just the right amount of dread.

The Red Letter by Daniel G. Miller ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is book 2 of The Orphanage by the Lake series. I recommend this book but think that you read book 1 first.

This easy to read emotional mystery will keep you reading well into the night. Characters are easy to fall in love with. And a surprise twist you didn't see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley, Daniel G. Miller, and Position Press for the advanced copy!

4.25⭐️

I liked this so much better than the first one. This was very interesting and again dark, with some more gruesome details.

Some twists were predictable but executed very well so it didn't matter, some more i didn't see coming, i actually was confused with some Red herrings. Well done!

I like authors storytelling, it is an easy and fast read, although the main character still annoys me and doesn't make me believe in her investigating skills, seems like everyone else does the job and she gets the whole credit.

I totally recommend this and you can read it as a standalone too.

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hazel Cho is a private investigator. Her lawyer friend comes to her asking for her help to clear a young man who will be on trial in a week for the murder of a priest; Hazel’s friend is certain the boy didn’t do it. There is a video of the priest practicing his sermon when he suddenly has trouble speaking, then he convulses and dies. Meanwhile, Hazel’s boyfriend is a politician running for mayor of New York. And it appears Hazel, herself, is being stalked. This all ramps up as more poisonings start happening.

This is the second in a series and I really liked both books. I want to continue (but this gets tricky for me when the next book isn’t out yet and I can’t add it to my tbr – how to remember to come back to it later!?). I really like Hazel and many of the secondary characters in these books.

Well, I am definitely a Hazel Cho fan!! It was exciting to see a continuation of her probate detective business and story. This story is a very good thriller, but at times will bring you to tears. I am hoping that the saga continues!!

Thank you to Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Red Letter is a fast-paced, chilling thriller that kept me completely hooked from the very first page! Daniel G. Miller weaves an addictive mystery full of twists, danger, and dark secrets that unravel with every chapter.

Hazel is such a strong and fascinating lead—sharp, resourceful, and determined. Her life seems to be falling perfectly into place until a murder investigation pulls her back into a terrifying world she thought she’d left behind. As the mysterious red letters begin to appear and more bodies turn up, the tension skyrockets.

What I loved most about this book is how personal the stakes became for Hazel. The deeper she digs, the more the lines blur between her past and present, making every discovery feel even more intense. The pacing is relentless, the plot twists are genuinely surprising, and the ending left me breathless.

Hazel is back but don't worry if you didn't read Orphanage by the Lake which introduced her because this is a better more mature Hazel, She's an intrepid PI who takes on an odd case where recipients of red letters end up dead. She knows the murders are connected but how and who? No spoilers from me and know that there's a twist. Hazel's personal life (and romantic longings) take a back seat in this installment and the secondary characters are better fleshed out. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read that has me looking forward to another visit with Hazel.

A dead body and a mysterious red letter could only mean one thing, Hazel Cho is back.

Daniel G. Miller does it again with the second installment of “The Orphanage by the Lake” series featuring our beloved Hazel, who is thriving. From start to finish, The Red Letter was full of twists and turns, and I could not stop reading even into the wee hours of the night because it was SO GOOD!!!! Each chapter left me on the edge of my seat. My only issue with this book is that it ended because I wanted more.

Overall, I did not think I could love the second book in this series as much as the first, but I was wrong. It was a twisted, heartbreaking, edge of my seat thriller. I have never been much of a series reader, but Daniel G. Miller’s character of Hazel Cho makes me want to come back for more thrills and suspense. This book was a 5 star read from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Expected Publication Date: July 22, 2025

#TheRedLetter #NetGalley #DanielGMiller #PoisonedPenPress

I like to give my feedback about a week after finishing the book. I let me thoughts and impressions sink in.

I had not read Daniel Miller before. So I had no expectations except for a good detective, summer read. This is exactly what it is. Pull out the shades and lay by the pool and enjoy a quick, summer read. There are some good twists along the way. Because it is an instant gratification type book for me, after a week I had forgotten some details. That is okay for me with this kind of book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy.

A neighborhood priest is murdered after receiving a mysterious red letter, and PI Hazel Cho is pulled into a case that’s darker and twistier than it first appears.

As a sequel to The Orphanage by the Lake (but can be read as a standalone), The Red Letter digs a little deeper than your average thriller, with themes of politics, religion, along with buried secrets. It hooked me early, kept me on edge with all the twists and turns, and that jaw dropping ending? 🤌🏽

The Red Letter follows The Orphanage at the Lake and it is riveting with a capital R. Not only is there murder but also stalking, betrayal, and shattering sorrow. Hazel is the proud owner of her own successful private investigation firm and is at the point she can choose her cases. Her adoring boyfriend is supportive and she has a close bond with her father. But as in real life, she takes her ups with her downs. She is asked to investigate a tricky case involving a priest's death along with a red letter at the scene. As she peels back the layers, secrets are exposed. There are Catholic and Biblical connections as well. Hazel is realistically flawed and aware of her limitations. But she is endearing and passionate about people and finding justice. Turns out the priest isn't the only one whose life is taken away. A suspect languishes in Riker's Island jail but Hazel has her own suspicions.

This is no ordinary mystery thriller but something deeper. My favourite aspect is the insightful depiction of raw human emotions and struggles which I felt in my heart. I really liked getting to know Hazel's inner workings. There were excellent surprises along the way, too. The writing is beautiful and the mix of slow and fast pacing works well.

I really enjoyed this book and hard a very hard time putting it down, especially at the end! I definitely don’t see any of that coming!