The writing and story sounded great. With lots of adventure. However, the narrators voice was difficult to follow along with. I had a hard time keeping up with the story due to being distracted by the voice. What I did catch, the story was fun and mysterious. Jess Lourey is an excellent author and storyteller.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Salem's Cipher series is a re-release. I didn't know about the older release but I enjoy this author and there is a lot of puzzle solving and treasure-hunting which appeal to me. There is also a distinct focus for women, especially those who have had their scientific discoveries usurped by men. The story begins in Minnesota, where I lived for many year.

Salem is a cryptanalyst which means she solves puzzles. She is writing what is basically an AI to help her gather information to solve codes or to actually solve codes. She has a gift beyond computer work though. Belle, her best friend, is a cop in Chicago. They were both encouraged by their families in their careers. They definitely need these skills when their mothers are kidnapped.

It is extremely dangerous for them as they follow clues to information, also wanted by those who abducted their mothers. They meet new people on their journey but who can they trust?

The pacing was fast and the danger constant. I enjoyed the science and the hunt. Aspects seemed unrealistic to me but it was in areas I am not highly knowledgeable so I could just go with the story. So exciting! I was happy to move forward with the next book to see where they go next.

Narration:
This series was previously recorded with a different narrator. When I got behind on the first book, I checked out the audio at the library and discovered it was Christina Delaine, who is a familiar narrator to me. I got shades of a different character while listening. The new version is narrated by Samara Naeymi. I prefer the newer version after listening to both, although the story seems identical. And nobody knows how to pronounce Edina (city in Minnesota). I find the new version to be a clearer, somehow crisper voice. I listened at my newer 1.75x speed.

I’m such a big fan of Jess Lourey but I just couldn’t connect with this book it didn’t have the same impact as her others. It’s still a well written & fast paced thriller but I struggled to care about the characters.
I’ll give the sequel a try since I received an ARC but if it wasn’t for that, I’d probably leave the series here. Hoping book two grabs me more!

★★½ (rounded up)

I enjoyed learning about all of the different women in this book. They were all very different, but came together as a unit and found family. Salem and Bell had been estranged and came together instantly when they needed each other. All of the historical references were very interesting, and I feel like it was reminiscent of the movie National Treasure. There was a lot of back and forth, and sometimes I had to back up because it felt like I missed something when things were happening quickly. Overall, it was a good read and enjoyable to see what direction it all went in. It was a few genres in my opinion, including spy thriller, historical fiction, and treasure hunting. There were some choppy parts, and I felt like it dragged on a bit in the beginning. There was a lot of focus on Salem's agoraphobia surrounding her father's death, which I think it could have been better without as much focus there. Also, I was not a fan of the narrator's accent.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I wanted to like this book, but I struggled to get through it and I did not like the narration of it.

I’m very happy to also have book 2 in this series because I want to keep going! It’s such a solid listen and the narration is amazing.

This did not work for me at all! It felt flat from the start and was bland, lacking any hint of excitement. While it had a Robert Langdon mystery feel, it came across as a poor imitation. So disappointed!

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

2.5🌟.

I’m still not sure if this is a mystery for fantasy lovers or a fantasy for mystery lovers, but one thing’s for sure, this is not your standard thriller. Think secret societies, cryptic codes, and missing mothers all tangled together in a plot that hops through time, place, and history like it’s on a caffeine high.

My silly butt went into this book blind expecting another dark thriller from Jess Lourey. To be fair, it was listed under Mystery & Thrillers in NetGalley, but my ears were telling me fantasy with a side of dystopia and yes there is a mystery. Not my usual jam, which meant I had moments where I was a little lost in the timelines and keeping track of a slew of characters.

We follow best friends Salem and Bel on a hunt to find their missing moms, who have ties to an underground women’s group. The trail leads through puzzles, hidden messages, and revelations.

Unfortunately for me, it didn’t quite click, but that’s a me thing and I can absolutely see this audiobook finding its audience.

The narration is solid, the female leads are strong, and Lourey’s writing is good, but not every book is for every person. If you love your thrillers with a big dose of fantastical conspiracy, secret codes, and high-stakes political intrigue, this might be exactly your thing.

✌️Vibes:
🗝 codes and puzzles
👭 Best friends on a mission
🌍 Historical conspiracy meets fantasy
⚖️ Political themes


Thank you @brilliancepublishing @netgalley and Jess Lourey for this advance listen copy in exchange for my honest review.


DeAnn @deannsreadingriot 🖤

3⭐
Jess Lourey's mysteries are the type I always enjoy. This was a little more on the darker side, but I really enjoyed the plots, twists and riddles.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This one was a fun read all around, featuring a group of wicked-smart, strong women fighting against an ancient and ruthless secret society. I loved all the secret compartments and puzzles that had to be solved along the way. One piece that I struggled with was the character who could change his appearance by rearranging his facial features and whatnot--I never really got what that was all about. While it was convenient for that character, I didn't get the tie-in to the overall storyline. It is possible that I tuned out at the wrong time while I was listening and missed something. In any case, the narrator of the audio version did an excellent job bringing the story to life.

RECAP: Agoraphobic cryptanalyst Salem Wiley must decode clues in Emily Dickinson’s poetry & the Beale Cipher to stop a plot against a female presidential candidate - and the ruthless group behind it.

REVIEW: I really enjoyed the Dickinson tie in! Although I felt the plot got confusing at times (seemed to be a lot of people and points to keep track of), I thought this was an interesting plot - it was giving me National Treasure vibes.

I found this author with the Reed and Steinbeck series which I love and have wanted to read all other books by this author and this is my first outside the series. I love the complex characters Jess is able to write. While I did enjoy this story, it wasn't as good as the Reed and Steinbeck series. I listened to with as an audiobook and found the narrator did a great job and kept me focused on the story.

Childhood best friends find themselves deep in trouble after their mothers go missing. They realize that they have been trained for this and will now use their skills to discover what happened to their moms. What she finds are clues that only Salem can solve alongside her friend, Bel. I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller with its secret society, strong female lead, and tricky ciphers. The creepy bad guys were just that ugh, *shivers*. The narrator, Samara Naeymi did a wonderful job portraying both Salem and Bel. Their tones and inflections were great and I was able to easily distinguish them both. Samara’s pacing was just right and she kept me hooked till the very end.

A very special thanks to Brilliance Audio + Netgalley for the gifted audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the chance to listen to this book.

Underground organizations vs. secret societies with secret codes along with unreliable characters. I completely understand where the author was trying to go with this and when I started it, I was initially interested but it unfortunately, quickly fell apart for me. Belle and Salem end up on a mission to find their two missing mothers who are part of this underground organization for women, but they never knew their mothers were a part of this until they start trying to crack this code letter left behind? There was so much searching ... and looking... and bouncing from one setting to another with little to no revelation on what was actually going on.

The characters were one dimensional and unreliable, and I did not connect with a single one. There were also a lot of characters that it was not really clear as to why they were introduced or what role they played in this whole "mystery". The idea of the little girl they were toting around with them solving some of the hidden codes, I'm sorry it was ridiculous. Then the FBI was involved, and then a woman presidential nominee and her weird group of people. It was just too much. There were so many plot holes and about halfway through it became very tedious to listen to.

I love Jess Lourey’s writing but this one just wasn’t for me. I started with her cozy mystery series and loved that one; even when the later ones got a little darker, they still had the humorous characters that drew me in from the beginning. The Steinbeck and Reed were definitely darker but had such a great story that I could overlook that and really enjoyed the cold cases. This one, however, has me lost and confused. I got through about 25% and couldn’t understand what was going on; they story seemed to start in the middle and I couldn’t catch up. And what I did understand was way too gory for me. I will not continue with this series but I think anyone who likes stories with puzzles and more detailed crime will enjoy this.

Salem’s Cipher is a fast-paced, brainy thriller that blends history, puzzles, and danger in a way that kept me hooked from the first chapter. Jess Lourey delivers a story that feels like a mix of The Da Vinci Code and Gone Girl, with strong female leads and a mystery rooted in real historical intrigue.

Salem Wiley is a brilliant cryptanalyst with a complicated past, and watching her unravel the clues left behind by her murdered mother was both tense and fascinating. The stakes are high, the pacing is relentless, and the feminist undertones give the story depth and relevance.

If you enjoy thrillers that are smart, empowering, and slightly conspiratorial, this is a great pick. I’ll definitely be continuing the series.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Salem Wiley is a genius cryptanalyst. She’s also a loner who prefers a safe and familiar path. Until her mother disappears in the wake of a brutal murder, leaving behind a cryptic warning of threats to come. Forced out of her safe zone, Salem embarks with her best friend, Bel, on a dangerous quest that reaches back centuries into America’s hidden history.

Drawn into a labyrinth of messages encrypted by Emily Dickinson and hidden in the legendary Beale Cipher, Salem discovers her mother’s double life—and the truth. An ancient and ruthless society is hell-bent on ruling the world, and only a select group of hunted women stands in its way.

Now Salem must follow a cross-country trail of clues in a desperate bid to unravel the conspiracy, which threatens not only the present but the very course of history.

Thank You Net Galley for the ALC.

This was a republished book and I actually met the author last year and got a copy of the book but had yet to get to it on my never ending TBR.
I loved the narrator. She is one of my favorites so always a pleasant Suprise to hear her voice.

I Enjoyed the book, and can't wait to read Mercy's Chase soon.

3.5 Stars

3.5⭐️ In the first of the Salem’s Cipher series, we are following genius code breaker, Salem Wiley in her quest to uncover a global conspiracy deeply rooted in history. I found this a little long, but I was engaged enough to want to find out how everything is resolved. I enjoyed the way that Jess Lourey combined the suspense, action, and historical elements in this story and found the parallels between the Hermitage Foundation in the book and the Heritage Foundation very interesting. I can’t even imagine how much research went into ciphers and code breaking. Kudos!

I am a big fan of Lourey’s Steinbeck and Reed series and this one didn’t hit quite the same as those for me, but it is still a fast-paced and engaging read. If you enjoy puzzles and action-packed suspense with some historical elements, I encourage you to check out this one.

Thank you to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this revised edition in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book!! This book reminds me of a cross between National Treasure and the DaVinci Code. I honestly can’t get enough of code breakers. It’s a plot line that immediately sucks me in. The puzzle of it all keeps me engaged and completely enthralled. I love it so much. That being said? This one was done well, the same way all of Jess Loureys books are. You really feel for the main character, Salem. I was feeling what she was feeling, the shock, the betrayal, the stakes, the pressure. I just wanted everything to work out for her. And the villain. Dang. He was creepy and convoluted and honestly terrifying. This book was a great code breaking thriller, it kept me guessing until the end. Definitely would recommend.

This audio was so so good!! I love this narrator. She did so well at differentiating characters and doing it well. I would listen to any book she narrated.

Thank you Jess Lourey, Brilance Publishing, and NetGalley for this book. I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Salem’s Cipher
Jess Lourey
08/12/2025
Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio

Not gonna lie – I saw Jess Lourey and Salem’s Cipher and I knew without even attempting to read the blurb I had to read this. Little did I know, this book was originally published in 2016 and is Book 1 in the series followed up by Mercy’s Chase (2018). Anywhooo, I listened to this while I stained my back deck Saturday and it was exactly what I had hoped for.
Salem Wiley is not your typical thriller heroine—she’s brilliant, introverted, and battling agoraphobia—which made her feel refreshingly real. Watching her get swept up in a centuries-old conspiracy that blends historical riddles, ciphers, and feminist power plays was exhilarating. The cryptic clues hidden in poetry and old codes gave the story a National Treasure-meets-Da Vinci Code vibe, but with sharper emotional stakes. Lourey doesn’t just throw puzzles at you—she layers them with trauma, memory, and vulnerability in a way that hits deeper than your standard mystery thriller.
The bond between Salem and Bel is fierce and loyal. Their friendship is the grounding force amid all the danger and chaos, and I loved how it balanced the high-stakes action. The pacing never lets up, and even when the plot veers into slightly over-the-top territory (which is totally ok by me I am a lean all the way in kind of reader), the emotional weight carries it through. This book surprised me—not just for the clever twists and coded secrets—but for how it centers the strength of GENERATIONS of women, especially those who’ve been underestimated or dismissed. If you like your thrillers brainy, bold, and a little bit rebellious, Salem’s Cipher is absolutely worth your time.