Stella's brother disappeared from a party she helped him get to in spite of her mother's orders. It's been years but she never stopped searching. And now she helps other families through a true crime podcast. That's when she receives an email with new information, but for her to get more, she'll have to pay a price—she needs to walk around with a burner phone with which the person can not only send her random commands but also listen to everything around her. She hasn't been the one kidnapped, but her loses control of her whole life. But each discovery the person leads her to, she realizes she didn't know the people in her life all that well.

Although Stella tries to keep tight control of her life, each step calculated, the way she falls into the hands of this mysterious person is suffocating. Usually when we have a story with each character hiding something, it's a hideous secret after another. In the case of this book, the discoveries aren't so abnormal. On the contrary, under other circumstances most of them would have been just the everyday secret everyone is entitled to have. It's the shadow of grief and guilt that magnifies it all. But the normalcy of the secrets by themselves brings this story close to reality. Like, omg, it could have been me if I had a missing brother.

The one thing I couldn't enjoy about this book were the chapter narrated by the culprit, who calls themselves Anwir. They added too little and to be honest, they gave me second-hand embarrassment instead of making me feel afraid of how crazy Anwir is. They were much scarier while talking with Stella.

I liked the conclusion a lot, though I hope this isn't an excuse for a series. The story itself was closed, hence why I'm praying this doesn't become a series. I'm more of a standalone fan. But back to the conclusion, it wasn't completely out of nowhere, but there was never a part in the book that it felt obvious. That explanation was only a possibility, and that's how I like the answers to mysteries to be. Moreover, Anwir's fate was very good; too bad I can't spoil it. Let's just say it got me laughing, though respectfully because they're pretty scary.

I highly recommend this book written by the master of planning. I have a feeling that those who prefer scary over mysterious will enjoy this thriller even the more. In any case, don't miss it!



Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of A Killer Motive by Hannah Mary McKinnon.

This was a great cat and mouse tale for fans of Frieda McFadden - a fast-paced page turner.

A Killer Motive
by Hannah Mary McKinnon
Pub Date: Sept, 9, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I found the book to be fantastic as I am an avid listener to podcasts.
Stella’s brother Max went missing six years ago. Now, as a true crime podcast host, she is still searching for answers. After her brother’s friend goes missing, she is contacted by a mysterious caller who claims to know details about Max’s case but things take a very sinister turn…
I will highly recommend this to my thriller fans who love a good podcast.
Wow! Now that was a thriller! My heart was seriously racing towards the end of this book! I was hooked from the start with the missing person case, but this kept getting more and more twisted and disturbing and I could not put it down. It definitely one to check out this September.

Thank you @htpbooks @htphive for the free digital arc!

Stella’s brother Max went missing six years ago. Now, as a true crime podcast host, she is still searching for answers. After her brother’s friend goes missing, she is contacted by a mysterious caller who claims to know details about Max’s case but things take a very sinister turn…

Wow! Now that was a thriller! My heart was seriously racing towards the end of this book! I was hooked from the start with the missing person case, but this kept getting more and more twisted and disturbing and I could not put it down. It definitely one to check out this September.

Rating 5⭐️

4.5 stars.

A fast, bingeable read that I inhaled as did my @thrillerbookloversthepulse friends. Unputdownable!! I think my new favourite of this author!!!

Twisty with red herrings, a fantastic cat-and-mouse interplay between the main protagonist and the villain, multiple suspects, and great pacing make this one a thriller not to miss!!

Thanks to @htpbooks and @harpercollinsca for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

It began with a beach party. A time for fun and play. It began when Stella Dixon helped her teen brother Max sneak from their home to join her on the beach. It began when, after a night of drinking and drugs, Max disappeared. Six years later, Stella is the co-host of a popular true-crime podcast “A Killer Motive.” On air, a listener asks Stella why she wasn’t investigating her brother’s disappearance. She replies that she would if she had even the smallest bit of evidence. What follows is a cat-and-mouse game between Stella and the clever and dangerous listener. A fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller.

DP Lyle, award-winning author (Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series), Lecturer, and Story Consultant and Co-creator of The Outliers Writing University
https://www.dplylemd.com/

When Stella snuck her teenage brother out of the house one night for a beach party, she had no idea that decision would haunt her for years. Max disappeared without a trace and Stella wouldn’t stop looking for him until she had the answers she needed. Six years later, Max’s best friend also goes missing, and Stella just can’t believe that they are not connected somehow.

Stella and her best friend have a podcast, “A Killer Motive” and that brings on issues of its own as far as rumors go. It gives Stella enough notoriety to ask questions around town, but also its own share of blame on Stella. When Stella is ensnared in a game of cat and mouse through an unknown caller, the “game” begins and Stella is running out of time to locate the missing boys.

This book is fast-paced, tension-filled and has a whopper of an ending. Focusing more on plot than characterization makes this a standout psychological thriller and I happily give it 5 stars. Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced reader copy.

"𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒚, 𝒃𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚, 𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔."

Special thanks to @thrillerbookloversthepulse @hannahmarymckinnon @htpbooks @mira for the #gifted eARC.

➡️ swipe for synopsis 👉🏼

𝙈𝙔 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Now I love a good true crime podcast as much as the next person, but when your family lives on the hinges of a cold case, that'd be a tough one for me to swallow. Stella Dixon, the host of A Killer Motive, had her brother taken from her one night while out at a beach party.
6 years later, she's still determined to find him, no matter the cost. Until her appearance on a local radio broadcast brings new players to the game, Stall's whole life is turned upside down.

This was such another great thriller by @hannahmarymckinnon . She is a repeat author for myself and my Pulse-mates and im always vying for a copy of her most recent releases. This one was twisty and utterly suspensefull. I clung to the end of every chapter waiting to see what was in-store and who was behind all this.
The ending had me reeling!

Preorder this one now! You won't be disappointed!

𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔:
Sep 9, 2025


ℚ𝕆𝕋𝔻❓️⁉️❓️ Do you listen to podcasts? Which ones? Genres?

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#mysteryandthrills #thrillersandsuspense #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerlover #thrilleraddict #thrillerjunkie #thrillergirlie #bookbuzz #upcomingthriller #hannahmarymckinnon #akillermotive #thrillerbooklovers #thepulse #pulsepoint #netgalley #htpbooks #mirabooks
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I didn’t want this book to end! It’s one of those “just one more chapter” until you realize you’ve read through the night and your adrenaline is pumping. This is absolutely a Top 5 of 2025 for me. Thank you Hannah Mary McKinnon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of A Killer Motive.

This was definitely tense and twisty but I'm really displeased with the ending!! Overall though it thoroughly kept me hooked and needing answers, and like all of her books I always think I have the suspect pegged and then I'm proven wrong!

A Killer Motive proves once again that Hannah Mary McKinnon is a master of endings — the kind that blindside you in the best way. She ties everything up just enough to feel satisfying, but always leaves a sliver of uncertainty, letting your imagination run wild after the final page. Stella Dixon is a standout lead: raw, determined, and utterly believable as she walks the razor’s edge between guilt and obsession. The pacing is relentless, the twists sharp, and the emotional impact hits hard. You’re not just solving a mystery — you’re pulled into a personal reckoning wrapped inside a deadly game.

There have been plenty of thrillers featuring true crime podcasts, but this one rewrites the rulebook. The podcast here isn’t a gimmick — it’s the catalyst for a sinister game that feels uncomfortably real. I didn’t see any of it coming, and that’s what makes it so good. McKinnon fills the story with characters you’ll side-eye constantly, building a web of mistrust and manipulation that keeps the pages flying. And just when you think you’ve caught your breath, she hits you with an ending that lingers. If you want a thriller that gets under your skin and refuses to play it safe, this is the one.

Hannah Mary McKinnon never disappoints with her story endings! It is always a shock and one you never saw coming. I love how she always ties everything up so you have closure, BUT always leaves a little something that is left to your imagination and where you can decide the ending. So keep that in mind if you are one that needs a definitive ending.
Another thing I enjoyed was her main character, Stella. I am always happy when reading about strong, independent women who can take care of themselves.

I love pod casts, so I was really excited to read this book, and it did not disappoint. It was a quick easy read and has short chapters which i loved and flew through quickly. The story is well written, and I love how it keeps you engaged and didn't want to put it down.

Stella Dixon snuck her teenage brother our of their parents house to a beach party. It was harmless fun, until he went missing. Never to be seen again. She has been searching for Max ever since. Six years later, she has a true crime podcast, Killer Motive, where her and a friend help solve cold cases. In a bid to boost sponsorship, they go on a radio show to talk but someone calls in asking about Max. Then a short time later, she begins getting the emails, inviting her to play a game and potentially uncover the mystery around his disappearance.

Oh the SUSPENSE!! Seriously, I flew through this second part as I just could not wait to find out what was going on. I honestly did not suspect any of the characters presented 😂 I'd clearly be a bad detective. It was such a suspenseful and thrilling read and the author has outdone herself again!

Thank you to @harlequinbooks for the ARC. A Killer Motive out 9/9📱🔪

I was immediately hooked and forced myself to put the book down Monday night at a reasonable time. That was out the window Tuesday, I was up way past my bed time in order to finish this one. I loved the characters who are all flawed and hyper realistic given their situations. I loved the aspect of a true crime podcaster investigating her own brothers disappearance when a mystery caller starts harassing her with information only her and her brother could know.

The story starts off slow, building up to about 45% through when all hell breaks loose and you cant turn the page fast enough. I can see this being a big standout in the genre with its secrets, twists, and red herring filled rollercoaster ride. Grab this one when it comes out, it will be the perfect start to spooky season!

Stella’s brother went missing several years ago and she’s done everything to find out what happened to him. Partly because of his disappearance she started a true crime podcast. Stella gets a call from someone who wants to play a game with her but she does not want to play. When her brothers best friend goes missing, Stella knows the person tormenting her is responsible. In a non stop action story Stella tries to save her brothers friend and find out what happened to her brother. The book is fast paced and plenty of twists. I didn’t want to put the book down!

Thank you to the publisher for a free NEtgalley.

Oh this was good. I flew through this book. I could not put it down even being on a Europe trip.

From the first page, McKinnon hooked me in and I had to know what was going to happen. The little clues along the way and the different ways we see the characters play out was well done. The pacing was perfect.

The red herrings were not overdone and the ending was really something.

I really enjoyed A Killer Motive by Hannah Mary McKinnon. It’s a well-crafted mystery with a clever plot that kept me guessing until the end. The pacing was solid, balancing suspense and character development nicely. I liked how the author built tension and revealed clues gradually without giving too much away too soon.

The characters felt authentic and the setting added a cozy but eerie vibe that worked perfectly for the story. While a couple of twists were a bit predictable, overall, the mystery was engaging and satisfying.

If you enjoy smart, character-driven mysteries with a strong motive at the center, this one is definitely worth a read.

The idea behind this book grabbed my attention and I felt hooked to the story for the first half. But somewhere along the way, the story kept looping and looping with the same information and I started to lose interest. I speculated about the ending and honestly, I thought the "reveal" of Max was expected and underwhelming, and also--didn't fit the momentum. It was just fine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!!

I was so excited to request this based on the synopsis alone. This book did not disappoint. You will be on the edge of your seat, biting your nails, and clenching every part of your body!!! The twist and end were also genius.