Stella’’s Brother Max disappeared after she had taken him to a beach party. She has spent years looking for information about him. Now someone is calling and texting her teasing her with clues. I was totally surprised at the ending. This book had me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend it.

When A Killer Motive begins, we get a bird’s eye view of the night everything changed.
Teenager Stella Dixon sneaks her younger brother Max out of the house to join her and her boyfriend at a beach party. When Stella wakes up alone on the sand the next morning, Max is gone and her world falls apart.

Six years later, Stella is still searching for answers. She’s found purpose in her true crime podcast, helping other families navigate the pain of the unknown. But the podcast isn’t paying the bills, and she and her partner agree to do a local radio spot to generate interest.

Everything shifts when a caller claims to be connected to Max’s case. Stella alerts the police and finds herself in a deadly cat-and-mouse game with someone who knows far more than they should.

Who is behind the call? What really happened to Max? And how far is Stella willing to go to find out?

Fast-paced, emotionally sharp, and full of twists.
#AKillerMotive #HannahMaryMcKinnon #HarlequinTrade #ThrillerReads #TrueCrimeFiction

This was my first book from this author and I really enjoyed it. I'm a sucker for any book that features a true crime podcast as a main element, and it worked great here.

I liked reading a book that featured an established couple, and the fact that it showed them in crisis for various reasons. While we knew that the FMC was hiding, it was obvious that the MMC had his own secrets. The FMC here is 100% flawed, and I think that makes her a little more relatable, but honestly she was still a frustrating character.

I appreciated the chapters from the Unsubs POV. I think it really added to the story and upped the creepy factor. I feel like the book ends on a little bit of a cliffhanger, and I do think it would be interesting it this turned into a short series.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for this book.

This was my first book by this author and it won't be my last. It takes a lot for a book to hold my attention but this one certainly did. I kept turning pages to find out what was happening. I do recommend.

Thanks NetGalley and Harley Trade Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I always enjoy this author’s work and this one was no exception. It is a very fast paced mystery, but with some great character development as well. There were a few sub-plots that I’m not sure added as much to the overall book. I did enjoy the twist at the end and I did not see it coming. Definitely check this book out when it’s released in September.

I’m a sucker for a thriller with a podcast element so I couldn’t wait to read this book. It started off strong with a disappearance but it dragged just a bit in the middle. I had my theories but I ended up being way off.

My head is spinning, my jaw is on the floor, I'm flabbergasted, I'm shocked, I did not see this ending coming at all. The ending hit me like a mack truck. This one was so good! Stella's seventeen-year-old brother goes missing at a beach party that she helped sneak him out to. Six years later, she's still searching for him while also hosting a true crime podcast helping other families find closure to their cold cases. Then she gets a mysterious call saying that if she plays a game, she can get a clue to get information on what happened to her brother. I can't even! The phone calls had me on edge. I'm trying to figure out who is calling her, who took her brother, who's making her play this sick twisted game. I couldn't put this down. I had to know who was behind everything. This book is so twisty. It will have you neglecting all adult responsibilities just to uncover the truth. Another exceptional novel by Hannah Mary McKinnon.

Immediately 5 stars. This is the Hannah Mary McKinnon I love. Darkity Dark, Twisted and just what this dark, psychological thriller needed from one of my favorite authors. This IS Hannah Mary McKinnon. Smart, compelling and unputdownable...since The Neighbors, I knew the darkness would return and it's here, now. I loved this book and am left breathless. Brava!!

Guys...you don't even KNOW how obsessed i am with HMM. So I might be a little biased. But this woman is the greatest thriller writer of our generation. Yes, you heard me! THE GREATEST. Her twists, her writing, her sheer audacity to create such horrifying scenarios...I'll never get over it. I thought You Will Remember Me broke my brain and was on another level, but this has to be my favorite now. DO NOT skip this book or you will regret it for the rest of your life.

I devoured this book in a matter of hours. I couldn’t put it down; it completely captivated me. The world of true crime is so prominent these days but this personal connection to the cases was written so well. I didn’t see the ending coming and loved everything about this!

Years after her brother’s disappearance, Stella is willing to do almost anything to uncover the truth. But when she’s offered a chance to find out what really happened to her brother, the cost may be her own life.

Stella feels guilty as she snuck her brother Max out of the house and took him to a beach party. He disappeared that night without a trace. She has kept trying to find him and now has a true crime podcast. She goes on a radio show hoping to get more sponsors and support for her show. The last thing she expects is to get a call on the air that brings all the pain to the surface again as it’s been 6 years since Max was last seen.

Now she gets emails, phone calls and threats as she gets involved in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. She is hiding the truth from all around her desperate to find out what happened to Max. The chapters from the antagonist just creep you out seeing things from their prospective as you try and sleuth out who they are and why they are doing this.

Your heart races as the tension rise as you watch Stella go to a darker place and fight for her life. The ending was a shocker! A book you will keep thinking about long after you put the book down.

I DEVOURED this book in 2 days! It would have been faster if I’d had more time to sit down and read. There was nonstop tension and I was so far on the edge of my seat that I almost fell in the floor! I’m being a bit dramatic but this book was really good. It’s one I’m going to be thinking about for a while, and the way it ended doesn’t help. If you love twisty thrill-packed rides then pick add this to your list!

Stella Dixon is guilty. Guilty of helping her younger brother Max sneak out of his bedroom to go to a party. Guilty because Max was grounded. Guilty because she didn’t keep an eye on him. And guilty because Max disappeared.
Six years later, there is no sign of Max. No clues. No sightings. No body, dead or alive.
Stella has started a true crime podcast, A Killer Motive, with her friend Vivien. They are teetering on the brink of financial ruin. An interview with Charlene Thornton, host of People of Portland might be the boost they need. But when a caller brings up Max, it sends Stella on a journey to find her brother. One that quickly becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse.
I’m not going to say more about the plot. I think it’s best to discover what happens alongside Stella. The culprit surprised me and the ending….. let us just say that person was oh so evil!
This book is scheduled to publish at the beginning of September, and if the weather is still gorgeous, it would make a perfect beach read. 4.5 stars.

This talented author has written a page turner. I like most of the books by McKinnon. Realistic characters keep the story moving quickly...red herrings keep me guessing...suspense...mystery...intrigue...all make up the recipe for a good book...this is a cannot put down until the last page story...Thanks Netgalley