I’ve loved this series so much! 🤩 Jess is soooo great at writing thrillers and she does such a good job of quickly catching you up on the events of the previous books while also throwing in a new crazy plot. You could totally read this as a standalone. The kills were chilling and I loved the narrator. Def recommend. 🌲

I thoroughly enjoyed sharing this audiobook with Danielle, especially since we arranged it last minute. The story is an atmospheric thriller that instantly draws you in with its vivid and gripping mood. The dual timelines are handled masterfully, providing a compelling structure that keeps the suspense building throughout.

The cold case elements add depth and intrigue, unfolding at just the right pace to maintain tension without feeling rushed. The narration brings the characters and settings to life, making the experience even more immersive. Overall, this audiobook is a fantastic choice for fans of mystery and thriller genres, delivering a perfectly crafted and engaging story.

Jess Lourey delivers another chilling mystery that blends past and present in the most haunting way. Cold case agent Van Reed is a complex, gritty heroine, and watching her unravel both the Laughing Dead murders and her own buried secrets was intense. The horror-movie grin on the victims? Nightmare fuel. The suspense ramps up fast and doesn’t let go. Dark, smart, and compulsively readable.

Thank you Jess Lourey, Brilliance Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

#thelaughingdead #netgalleyarc #netgalleyreview #netgalley #arcreview #arc #arcreader #review #somanybookssolittletime

THE LAUGHING DEAD is a tense, pulse-pounding mystery thriller. I didn’t realize that it was book three in the Steinbeck and Reed series. It was really easy to follow and I felt like it worked great as a stand-alone. I thought agent Van Reed was a unique character, so now I plan to go back and read the first two books. The dual timelines were blended perfectly and kept me glued to story. I have always been interested in cold cases and although I know this is a work of fiction, it made me feel like this was real. Overall, I found this to be a really great book and I would recommend it to those who like character-driven novels!

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Brilliance Audio for my #gifted copies.

This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) closer to the publication date.

The Laughing Dead just didn’t work for me. The writing style and tone felt too much like a YA novel, and I struggled to stay engaged. By the halfway point, I realized I wasn’t invested enough in the characters or plot to keep going, so I ended up putting it down.

That said, I appreciate the opportunity to read an early copy—thank you to Brilliance Publishing for that. While this one wasn’t a match for my taste, I can definitely see other readers vibing with the storyline and finding something to enjoy.

Thank you to @jesslourey , @brilliancepublishing and Netgalley for my #gifted copy

Publication Date: July 22nd 2025
Genre: Suspense Thriller
Narrated by : Carly Robins
I really enjoy books read by her!
Rating:4✨

This is book 3 in the Steinbeck and Reed books! This one starts off right where the last book ended! Van and Harry are back with trying to solve a decades old cold case of The Laughing Girls. You get past and future povs and the spiral of Reed as she try’s to figure out what happened to these girls and why her ID is found at a new scene.
We get to know Reed a lot more in this one, her past that still keeps finding its way back! I love the backstory and the spiral it all goes down! Reed and Harry make a great team, the way they are so different but work so well together! This case is so complicated and twisted, it had me so invested. The many layers and the fast pacing made is it so bingeable! My favorite character had to be Owl the dog 🐕 pets always make a book better! The end of the book gave me Chills, I loved it so much!

I requested this book on NetGalley without realizing it is part of a series. I should pay more attention, but I really wish it would be made a lot more obvious when requesting books in a series. I don't think this should be read without reading the first two, because I feel I lost a lot of plot points.

The book itself was good, but a little predictable. There is a bit of an unrealistic part to the story; I can't quite call it paranormal, but it's very much not real and it threw me off and put a bad taste in my mouth.

I also wasn't a fan of the subtle hints at a romance in the background, but I also didn't read the first two books so it could be that. I think this would be a good addition to a series, but I don't recommend reading it as a standalone.

Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an advanced copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review!
I have loved every book I've read by this author, and this one was no different. This is the 3rd book in this particular series, which follows a forensic scientist (Steinbeck) and a cold case agent (Reed).Reed was raised in a cult and she's still dealing with literal nightmares from her childhood. Steinbeck's little sister was abducted when she was a child, and he's been looking for her ever since. These 2 personalities work very well together, and you can't help but hope something romantic may be in their future.
This case in particular is about trying to find a killer that is poisoning victims with a specific poison that forces the victims face into an exaggerated clown like grin, hence the laughing dead name of the book.
I do think you'd need to read the books in this series in order to avoid small spoilers/mentions of other case outcomes they've worked. They are all excellent though so it shouldn't be a problem! I don't know why more people aren't talking about this author. If you like creepy, scary, twisty thrillers, check out this book (or any book by Jess Lourey). I bet you'll love her writing as much as I do!

3/5⭐️ 🎧

Van + Harry connect crimes of the past and present.
This is book 3 of 3 in the series so I feel like I was kind of confused throughout this.
I did really enjoy the suspense of the red scarf in this, it gave me an uneasy feeling but I honestly was struggling to keep of with the story throughout this because I haven’t read any other one.

This is the third book in a series but can still be read as a stand-alone!

A detective who grew up in a cult and has visions of crimes taking place (pretty interesting!) finds herself in the middle of a mysterious death investigation when her ID is found at the scene. The deceased in question is found with a wide grin on her face (point to the book title) making things extra creepy!

I enjoyed this book! I liked the character of the female detective she was quirky and sassy and her psychic abilities made her more interesting!

The book is a bit of a slow burn but has a fast moving pace when you listen to the audio book version! The narrator did a great job 🙏🏻

Thank you to Brilliance publishing / audio for the gifted copy

Publishes - July 22nd!

5 Reasons this is must read summer thriller:

A Killer Signature You'll Never Forget: Victims with grotesque grins and a decades-old mystery dubbed “the Laughing Dead” instantly hook you with macabre curiosity.

A Heroine on the Edge: Cold-case agent Van Reed isn’t just chasing darkness—she’s fighting her own, making every discovery feel personal, urgent, and emotionally raw.

Cult Vibes and Psychological Whiplash: The story digs into disturbing groupthink, manipulation, and buried trauma, creating a haunting atmosphere that lingers.

Twists You Don’t See Coming: With timelines that tangle and clues that mislead, Lourey keeps you guessing until the very last page—and even then, she’ll surprise you.

Perfect for Fans of Dark, Gritty Thrillers: If you like your mysteries with substance, smart pacing, and deeply flawed characters who feel all too real, this one delivers.

this was really good! I probably would have enjoyed it more if I knew it was a series! I dont know what book this one is! BUT I did enjoy it alot! the characters kept me interesting in fhe storyline trying to see what was going to happen! and very much so at the ending of the book i was hooked! I actually had to sit while listening because I didnt wanna miss any detail! now to go find the rest to make sure I catch the 1st half so I understand how she got here!

The Laughing Dead
(Steinbeck and Reed, #3)
Jess Lourey
Pub: 7/22/25
4.5☆

The bodies of three teenage girls are found in central Minnesota—each with her mouth fixed in a ghoulish grin, smiling at a deadly joke no one can hear. But authorities eventually close and forget the curious case, dubbed the Laughing Dead.

Decades later, cold case agent Evangeline “Van” Reed is called to the scene of a crime where the victim wears that same horror-movie smile. But this time someone seems to be sending a message: Van’s police ID has turned up at the scene, making her the prime suspect. It’s not that outlandish, considering her secrets—ones she’s never even told her partner, forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck.

As she feels others closing in, Van reopens the mystery of the Laughing Dead, hoping to find a connection to clear her name. But the search only gets darker. Because the more Van digs backward in time, the closer she comes to a terrible truth: Everything she has spent her life trying to hide is returning to haunt her.

My Thoughts:
I love this series and it felt soooo good to be back in MN w/Harry and Van. I was in the mood for a creepy read. The kind that I know Jess Lourey can deliver and she did! The Laughing Dead was another gripping, twisty, unputdownable read. It had my heart pounding and my mind racing trying to figure it all out. As always I love how heavy handed these books are on MN references. I can visualize the places and it feels like I am right there. Maybe cause I am!? 🤣

I love that we a dog and answers to so many questions but I truly hope there is still more to come from these two! And Owl!

What I loved;
😵 Twisty Thriller
😵 Creepy Mystery
😵 Cult Vibes
😵 Owl
😵 MN Setting

I started with the ebook and paused so that I could immerse myself with the audio as well. So glad I did. Carly Robin’s narration was so well done and upped the creep factor even more! Would recommend in any/all formats but start from the beginning of the series if you haven't already read.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Brilliance Audio for my gifted copies.