Sophie Mattis paints a haunting picture of rural England in Open to Death, where the warmth of home is upended by a series of brutal murders. DI Rena Hunt is a striking lead—haunted yet sharp, navigating grief and instinct as she unravels a killer’s twisted motives. Each victim is pierced with calculated cruelty, each scene eerily intimate. It’s a thriller that whispers before it screams.

What sets this apart is the simmering tension between Hunt and forensic pathologist Dr. Lucas Mann. Their uneasy alliance adds depth—and a flicker of slow-burn spark—to the already taut atmosphere. Rucklesby itself feels vividly alive: picturesque, yes, but edged with shadows that stretch further than expected.

Mattis writes with precision and emotional intelligence. The pacing allows room for suspense to settle into the bones before ramping toward its conclusion, and the result is a debut that’s equal parts clever and unsettling.

Perfect for fans of classic police procedurals with a psychological twist, and for anyone who enjoys their mysteries layered with human complexity.

Thank you to Sophie Mattis, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

A nice new police procedural that has a lot of potential. Lot's of interesting characters which we only scraped by the surface. Also Rena seems to have a dramatic past and I do hope in future books we will touch this subject more.

The murders are great with many, many suspects. There was a moment where I was thinking " NO, the author took the lazy road for the murderer " but this was a nice twist to throw us off!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me this copy.

In the picturesque town of Rucklesby, peace is shattered when a young woman is found brutally murdered in her home. Detective Inspector Serena “Rena” Hunt is called to the scene, still haunted by her last case and questioning her instincts. The victim, Sicily Avery a wife and mother has been stabbed through the heart with chilling precision. When another woman is killed in the same way, Rena realizes a calculated murderer is on the loose, leaving cryptic notes on the victims as part of a twisted agenda! Wow!! Fantastic book and series! The storyline was so very interesting! Highly recommend! This book had chilling suspense, mystery, murder, intriguing, action and a few shocking moments! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Top notch detective thriller - complex plot, solid characters, and enough going on to keep you guessing. Some creative twists that definitely throw you off, and maybe a budding romantic interest? Look forward to future installments, and guessing we will find out more about her sister!

A brilliant police procedural which I thoroughly enjoyed. A great blend of team dynamic, personal tragedy and multiple murder. I look forward to reading more in this series.

An engaging mystery that kept me guessing. Why does the lead character always have to go rushing in to save the day? The ending was just slightly too much. However, I'll be looking forward to more books in the series.