I am hooked from the first to the fifth book! This is a great mystery & thriller, full of suspense and an amazing series. I thoroughly enjoyed every instalments of the books as I followed Chief Maggie’s police and personal life.

Thankful for NetGalley and Bookouture for another amazing ARC.

Chief Maggie Riley is on the scene when a trailer explodes, leaving three people dead. The autopsy reveals that one body belongs to someone reported dead decades earlier so was the original investigation bungled…?
The Day She Died is the 5th book in the Maggie Riley series of detective thrillers set in America. There are references to plot threads from earlier books, in particular about her fiance Steve.
Maggie thinks the explosion was due to a meth lab but the evidence suggests that the fire was caused deliberately so the deaths are murder. One body in particular causes concern as Ruby Anderson was declared dead following a water accident and the main witness is Maggie’s friend and colleague Sue. The previous chief mishandled the case and the body had never been found so it is clear that Ruby didn’t die as assumed.
Poor Maggie is reeling from her close call, surviving the explosion through sheer luck. Now she is worried about her friend Sue who is obviously hiding something about the case. Added to this is a hunky fire officer making her feel awkward and an impending hen do that she is dreading. She has to ruffle a lot of feathers by revealing the truth about the past case being handled badly and the reality that Ruby survived until the blast.
There is a significant subplot about Steve trying to find out the truth about an incident from his teens that has haunted him ever since. He is separated from Maggie physically and emotionally while he looks for evidence, and she also holds back from him. Not a great situation when they are supposed to be getting married in a few days!
The Day She Died is a tense detective thriller with a great lead character.

Love this series and this book is just wow! Thrilling from start to finish, a fast paced, brilliantly plotted wonderfully entertaining read.

After having read all of the other books in this series I was looking forward to reading this one. It continues the story of chief Maggie Riley and the people that work alongside of her. When a body is found in a house along that had been signed off as dead years ago the hunt begins. What happened and are people that she know so well are hiding what they know happened back then.
A great book from start to finish, can't wait for the next instalment.

The Day She Died by Shannon Hollinger is the fifth book in the Chief Maggie Riley series. Cold case and a current murder investigation raised many questions for Maggie.  Despite the stress of her upcoming nuptials, Maggie sets out with determination to find answers and catch a killer.

Secrets, lies and Deceit drives the plot of The Day She Died. Based on experience with prior books in the series, expectations were high, and it did not disappoint. There were so much happening and when combined it delivered an exciting and suspenseful read


The story begins when Maggie received an anonymous call which led to her witnessing an explosion. After the dust cleared, Maggie discovered that one of the bodies belonged to Ruby Anderson.  Twenty years ago, the sheriff at the time closed the case regarding her disappearance and declared her dead. To make matters worse someone Maggie considers a friend filed reported the supposed death. A discovery which has her wondering if her trust in the person was misplaced.


Her upcoming nuptials in two weeks' time didn't help the situation. Her fiancé Steve has his share of drama dealing with. Also, in addition to that a piece of evidence discovered at the explosion site is likely to   bring more chaos in both their lives. Steve's situation which is linked to that piece of evidence will significantly impact their lives.


As mentioned earlier that secrets drove the plot. Some secrets came to light. While Steve came clean to Maggie in the previous installment, he still harbors more secrets. Maggie is no better has she has been keeping things from him too.


The suspense, twists and the surprises all combined kept me on the edge of my seat. It kept me guessing the whole time. This gripping and mysterious tale made a great addition to the series, and it left me looking forward to the next book.

Book 5 in the Chief Maggie Riley series.

I really enjoyed this book. It's told from different perspectives so it's full on. I was, however, left with a couple of questions. Hopefully one of them will be answered in a future book as there is a storyline that continues in each book. Looking forward to reading the next one.

When the body of Ruby Anderson is found in a burnt-out trailer, Chief Maggie Riley is called to solve the biggest case Coyote Cove has ever seen. Ruby supposedly drowned on a kayaking trip twenty years ago—how could she have been alive today?

For years there have been whispers about how Ruby died. There was one witness who swore they saw the river drag Ruby away. Ruby’s body was never found, and she was presumed dead.

But when the autopsy report is returned, Maggie makes a shocking discovery. It shows that Ruby never drowned at all. She’d been hiding in plain sight for the past twenty years. Who was she hiding from and why would they want her dead?

As Maggie unravels the web of lies around Ruby’s murder, she discovers that the witness to Ruby’s drowning is her closest colleague at the Coyote Cove Police Department. And they’re protecting a dark secret from Ruby’s past that Maggie must uncover before anyone else loses their life.

But how deep do the lies around Ruby’s death truly go? With no one to trust, Maggie needs to uncover a deadly secret alone and it lies at the heart of the police force. How much will she have to sacrifice to discover the truth?

I hadn't read the previous books in this series, but that didn't matter as there was enough backstory for me to read it as a stand alone. However, I will be going back to read the rest.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the dynamics of the key players.
This was twisty and tense in bits, but also very relatable. I'm curious to see what happened earlier in the series.
The small town USA setting was appealing as it leant weight to the dynamics of the characters. The story was told from two POVs - the chief of police 's and her fiancé's - both in the first person present tense.

I loved the way the two storylines were kept alive by this and look forward to find out what happens next.

Book 5 of the Chief Maggie Riley series by @thiswritersays is out now and is another fast paced crime thriller installment in the series.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I love and recommend everything that Shannon Hollinger writes. The Day She Died is no exception to this rule! This book takes us back to Coyote Cove and brings together all of the characters in Maggie’s life as they solve the latest murder in this rural area of Maine. I really enjoyed this read and I’m already ready for book 6 in the series 🖤

The Day She Died by Shannon Hollinger
Chief Maggie Riley #5

Tension undercurrents, secrets, and mysteries that revolve around an explosion, murder, an upcoming wedding, and small town dynamics ~ Great addition to the series

What I liked:
* Chief Maggie Riley: difficulties in her past, bright, capable, skilled detective, works with minimal staff, trust issues, engaged to Steve, loves her dogs, seems unsettled and unsure about a few things
* Steve Winters: Maggie’s fiancé, wealthy, wants to make Maggie happy, is away from Maggie as he tries to resolve something from his past
* The explosive first chapter that sets the stage for further crimes and murders that will take place
* The way Maggie and Kal tackle the police procedural aspects of the story
* The tension between Maggie and Sue and how it is resolved
* Kal Kinshore: Maggie’s lieutenant, supportive, strong, told Maggie why he came to Coyote Cove
* The bachelorette party and getting to know some of the women a bit better
* The cold case(s) that were solved
* Dean Larson: Fire Investigator, shows interest in Maggie, wonder if he may be a secondary love interest if Steve and Maggie don’t stay together, intriguing
* That though I read the ending I was still surprised by the twist and who the killer was
* Having to wait for the next book

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about the impact domestic abuse and violence have on the entire family
* The way Maggie and Steve were keeping secrets and not communicating well

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in the series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

This is # 5 in the Chief Maggie Riley series, and while you don’t HAVE TO read the others to enjoy this one, I think you get the full effect of the characters if you start from the beginning of the series. The Day She Died is a high-stakes crime thriller with a gripping mystery (hello, a woman who supposedly died years ago is now found dead?! Plus Steve’s past? I need to know what happened!) but the characters are what really make this series! Maggie is an absolute bad ass, she takes no crap and she’s dogged and determined in her pursuit of justice, but deep down she’s also emotionally vulnerable. This book continues to peel back Maggie’s emotional layers, and I love watching her realize Kal and Sue are her found family. I already can’t wait for book # 6!

This latest in the #ChiefMaggieRileySeries is quick-paced & amazing! We get more of our strong female protagonist, Maggie, in her personal life and a riveting storyline that kept me reading until the thrilling end!

This book was so much more than a police procedural to me. I love that we get to see Maggie as more than just the woman in charge. She’s struggling with her relationship and what her fiance is dealing with. Her upcoming wedding and her female friendships play an important role in this book. Sue is one of the women she feels closest too, and to wonder what truly happened the day that her friend drowned, puts Maggie in the worst spot.

There’s so many questions around the Anderson family, and somehow Maggie figures out the whole convoluted mess.

I can’t wait for more Maggie Riley books.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC of this book.

This series always twists me inside out and provides twists and turns I don't see coming. The Day She Died still has me in knotted up. Chief Maggie Riley is always trying to do the right thing and is learning to let her self have friends. In the Day She Died we start out with an explosion and go nonstop. While she's trying to put all the pieces together, Steve (fiancé) is in Massachusetts trying to piece together everything from that fateful day in college. We learn more about Kai her deputy and Sue her Jack of all at the police station. Each has a good heart and have secrets. Coyote Cove seems to be one big secret and of course Maggie and Steve are still keeping things from each other, which is becoming frustrating, and the introduction of Larson has me going no no no! Argh I need to go unknot myself from this twisty tale with surprises. Thank you for the advanced copy. I freely volunteer my honest thoughts and opinions. Released 4/14/2025 #TheDaySheDied #ChiefMaggieRiley #ShannonHollinger #Bookouture #NetGalley



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BOOK: THE DAY SHE DIED
AUTHOR: SHANNON HOLLINGER
PUB DATE: APRIL, 2025
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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The only aspect I really liked about this book was the actual murder mystery that occurred. I enjoyed reading about how Maggie dealt with the case, turning over all the stones to get what actually happened despite her precarious mental state. The case of Ruby Anderson was a very sad one, especially for her kids, but the mystery was okay.
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I've read the first two books in the series, and this is the fifth one. Because of this, I had a hard time understanding the changes in Maggie and Steve's lives. It was confusing, and it's what made me rate it lower. Anyway, Maggie and Steve are getting married soon, but Maggie feels undecided. But, the most annoying thing was Steve, I get that he's really guilty about what happened, but if he's so guilty, he should just come clean and confess to the police. It gets tired that what he has been worried about since the first book is still in the fifth book. And he didn't even get to the bottom of it!
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I liked the mystery aspect, but Steve had better deal with his issue in the next book.
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I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was eagerly awaiting this book to be published as it’s one of my favourite series EVER!

So when you read this review it will already be available to purchase and to read for FREE via Kindle Unlimited.

The opening chapter had me on the edge of my seat, the anticipation and the shocks had me gripped.

What a welcome back to Coyote Cove.

This story is so intriguing, I was second guessing if this case was connected to Maggie & Steve or not and if it was then how?.

I especially liked how even though Maggie & Steve are apart we still get to see what the other is going through and how their story intertwines.

It was refreshing to catch up with all my favourite residents of Coyote Cove too.

If you love a captivating story that will leave you wanting more, then get this book on Kindle Unlimited ASAP.

The Day She Died by Shannon Hollinger is the 5th book in the excellent Chief Maggie Riley series. This latest book was superb and I loved reading more about the main character Maggie, and her latest case is full of surprises with twists and turns throughout.

A body is found in a burnt out trailer. Chief Maggie Riley is called to solve the biggest case in Coyote Cove has ever seen. The body is Ruby Anderson! she supposedly drowned on a kayaking trip twenty years ago. . . . . . . .
So, how could she have been alive today?

There has been whispers about how Ruby died for years now, and there was only one witness who swore they saw the river drag Ruby away with it. But, Ruby’s body was never found, and she was presumed dead by so many people.

However, when the autopsy report is carried out and returned, Maggie makes a shocking discovery. It shows that Ruby never drowned at all.

Where has she been or hiding for all these years?

Who and what was she hiding from?

Why would they want her dead?

Ohhhhh, so many questions and Maggie needs to find the answers! But, as Maggie unravels the web of lies around Ruby’s murder, she discovers that the witness to Ruby’s drowning, was her closest colleague at the Coyote Cove Police Department. They’ have been protecting a very dark secret from Ruby’s past that Maggie must uncover before anyone else loses their life.

Maggie need to go deeper into people around her lives to find out the truth about where and how Ruby died, she needs to uncover a deadly secret alone and trust No one especially around her!!!

WoW, this book was excellent from start to finish. If you have not read the other 4 books, it works well as a standalone but I do recommend you read all the books before, they will not disappoint.

I highly recommend this series.

How is it that Ruby Anderson’s body was found in an explosion at what appeared to be a meth lab? It’s very concerning, especially since Ruby was said to have died two decades previously, and hers was one of three bodies discovered. Moreover, someone very close to Coyote Cove’s Chief of Police, Maggie Riley, filed the police report, which is causing Maggie to question her trust in her friend.

Meanwhile, Maggie’s fiancé, Steve, is away and is dealing with his own drama. At the explosion site, something else was discovered that could definitely ruin Steve’s life and their future together. It’s a true nightmare all around. Maggie is in a constant state of fear, while Steve’s drama could have far-reaching consequences.

The drama for both Maggie and Steve is played out in alternating chapters, and this definitely kept me on tenterhooks for both Maggie and Steve. What an excellent police procedural by Shannon Hollinger and a great addition to a thrilling series.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Wow! Maggie's latest case is compelling and full of surprises. I was hooked. Maggie is such a great character and this series continues to get better. I found myself second guessing everything.

The Day She Died by Shannon Hollinger is an exhilarating and masterfully crafted addition to the Chief Maggie Riley series, delivering a riveting blend of suspense, character depth, and relentless pacing.
This book was filled with so many twists and turns, and when you think everything is wrapped up, it keeps going! This is a fast read and was so good.

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

The Day She Died by Shannon Hollinger is the fifth installment of the Chief Maggie Riley series. This is a gripping crime thriller that starts with a bang and does not slow down!

When Chief Maggie Riley is called out to a scene, all hell breaks loose when a trailer explodes right in front of her. What started as a suspected meth lab explosion soon dives deep into secrets that have been buried for decades. A woman who had died in the explosion should have already been dead. The victim had been declared dead twenty years ago after a tragic drowning accident. With her partner, Maggie will need to find out what really happened twenty years ago and how it is connected to the case today.

I definitely feel like this can be read as a standalone novel, but if you are the type of reader that needs the whole backstory to enjoy a series, then give the rest of the books a shot! Hollinger's writing is very concise and the characters are very well developed!! This was a quick read with lots of suspense, action, and secrets that had me hooked from the first explosive page!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Shannon Hollinger, and Bookouture for this ARC!! Publication date is April 14th 2025.