Jaime Parker Stickle writes from the heart, blending motherhood and murder into a tight, moving mystery. For anyone who loves smart, emotional, character-driven suspense with a twist, this is a must-read.

This book had topics of mental health which i think were portrayed really well, i didnt know what i was expecting with the book themes but it was really refreshing while talking about difficult topics.

I don't normally read these types of books as its not my favourite genres but this one i enjoyed!

Corey is a new mother struggling with post partum, and she see news of two teenage girls found hanged in a nearby park. Sadly, the news reports are fleeting and casual, blaming an increase in crime in the area. Corey is aware of the gentrification in the area, but she's seen no increase in crime, and she should know--she's a former broadcast journalist. Now she teach spin classes with her baby in tow because she's terrified to be away from him. She resigned herself to her new life when another death occurs, this time one far too close to home. She knows she has to launch her own investigation. I enjoyed the mystery in the book, kept me reading.

𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧? 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧.

Judging from the cover, you would think this would be a darkly comedic read--and you would be wrong. While marketed as a thriller, there are some really deep themes in this one, particularly postpartum issues, gentrification, crimes against minorities, and more. There is definitely a mystery at play here, but the other issues take center stage, as they rightfully should.

Corey is a new mother struggling with intrusive thoughts that are worsened by the horrific news of two teenage girls found hanged in a nearby park. Sadly, the news reports are fleeting and casual, blaming an increase in crime in the area. Corey is aware of the gentrification in the area, but she's seen no increase in crime, and she should know--she's a former broadcast journalist.

But now her days are spent teaching spin classes with her nine-month-old baby in tow because she's terrified to be away from him. Instead of chasing a story, she's cleaning spit-up. She's resigned herself to her new life when another death occurs, this time one far too close to home. Her inner journalist awakens, and she knows she has to launch her own investigation.

I really felt for Corey and her situation while also being angry at the real-life issues the author brought to life. Fair and accurate investigations for all crime victims is something sorely lacking in all parts of the globe. The loss of identity a woman feels when she becomes a mother was brilliantly explored as well. I'm glad to see this is the beginning of a series. I can't wait to see what Corey investigates next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer Publishing for the early copy. Look for this one October 21, 2025.

really interesting and captivating plot. it kept me hooked throughout --i finished it in 2 days! also love the voice of the narrator.

Vicious Cycle is a clever title indeed. I enjoyed this read; it kept me hooked. It was a great insight into how the messiness of mental illness mixes so insidiously with the systemic issues that women face as they balance careers, relationships, parenthood and above all their relationship with themselves. I appreciate the broader commentary on gentrification and the inequitable ways in which crimes against minorities are brushed away, but I did feel that the "mystery" component didn't stand as strongly in the plot. This book shines when I take it as a journey with Corey's tryst with postpartum anxiety, psychosis and realisations on what she wants for herself; the mystery pieces were a bit predictable though.

All in all, definitely an exhilarating read, never felt like a drag!

Vicious Cycle caught me off guard — in the best way.

It’s a gripping mix of murder mystery and raw, honest portrayal of postpartum mental health, without sugarcoating or romanticizing the real struggles of motherhood.

The main character, Corey, is a former investigative journalist turned stay-at-home mom dealing with anxiety, OCD, and intrusive thoughts. The way these issues are portrayed feels brutally real — sometimes even uncomfortable — but powerful and important.

The mystery starts when two Latina girls are found dead, quickly dismissed by police as gang-related suicides. Corey can’t accept that explanation and starts her own investigation. Things escalate when a woman from her spin class is also found dead in the same location.

This is an intense psychological thriller with well-developed characters, strong emotional representation, and a message that lingers.
I flew through it. Highly recommend — especially if you’re into dark, reflective, emotionally layered reads.

Book was fresh air. I loved it. It was a Page Turner. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I’m glad that I kept going and I enjoyed it very much and I will recommend.

Viscous Cycle

Confession: it took me far too long to realize the main characters worked at a spin studio, and I couldn’t grasp the reasoning for the title of the book. Once that became clear, the book made so much more sense.

It reminded me slightly of Little Voices by Vanessa Lilley, but without the psychosis.

As a two time mom, both times with intrusive thoughts but only once treated for post-partum depression, I found myself both relating to Corey’s struggles and also angry and her for not seeking help. There is no shame in needing help, needing medicine, or needing to speak to someone. Post partum blues clear up, both post partum depression and anxiety and OCD linger. Ya need to talk to someone.

All this to say, this book was lovely. It had me hooked, and touched so many different parts of motherhood and murder mystery.

CAWPILE score: 60
Rating: 4.25

The story follows Corey, a former investigative journalist turned stay-at-home mom, who is battling postpartum mental health struggles when two Latina girls are found dead in her town. Dismissed as gang-related suicides by police and media, Corey feels compelled to investigate the truth—especially when a woman from her spin class turns up dead in the same spot. As she digs deeper, her investigation begins to mirror her own unraveling mind. This book handles tough subjects without flinching. But if you’re up for something dark, thought-provoking, and emotionally intense, this one’s worth it. Absolutely loved it!

This was terrific! The main character genuinely manoeuvres through postpartum anxiety in such an authentic way. The mental illness rep is so honest, it’s almost painful but in a good way. There’s that overhanging unsettled feeling because this is a thriller but it’s got a great message – and is an outstanding murder mystery.

I got a copy of this book before it's publication date via NetGalley.
It was SO FREAKING GOOD!
The main character, Corey, experiences postpartum anxiety and I FELT it viscerally. I've lived in NELA for 22 years and the author captured it perfectly. I'm at a loss for words - great murder mystery with so much honest humanity in the characters.

5⭐️
Corey used to be a well known investigative reporter and is now a stay at home mom struggling with postpartum anxiety and OCD. Two girls in her town are found dead hanging by a tree leading police to think it’s a suicide. The cops and the media are saying it’s all gang related because they are Latina. Corey is on a mission to investigate this case herself to find the truth. Then a friend of Corey’s from spin class turns up dead in the same spot. Corey goes into full investigating mode and along the way starts to realize how bad her mental health is. So what happened to these girls? Were they killed and if so who was it? I really enjoyed this book. There were so many great elements to it. I was hooked immediately and didn’t want to put it down. I really appreciated how detailed and how often there were things in the book regarding her mental health. As a psych nurse it made me happy to hopefully educate people more on what mental health and bring awareness to postpartum mental health. The descriptions of the thoughts in Corey’s head about the knives, plastic bags, and her constant worry about her son dying was excellent and really helped drive home the seriousness of it. I liked the twist as I thought many times throughout the story I was right but I wasn’t. I thought the characters were developed very well so that you were able to picture them and what their personality is. I highly recommend this to readers who like a suspenseful thriller. I recommend looking up trigger warnings. This was an amazing book and I can’t wait to see what’s next

This was so good! The mystery kept me in the dge of my seat and i found it so fun to follow along! So gripping and intense. Loved it.