Thank you so much to Atria for the gifted book!

Sarah Crouch's debut book, Middletide, absolutely stole my heart last year and was my favorite book of the year. I jumped on the opportunity to read THE BRIARS the first chance I had! There's no "sophomore slump" here at all; it's either equal with or better than Middletide!

My best advice going into this book would be to not put it in a box. as it almost defies a genre label. I wouldn't dare put the main character Annie Heston in a box either! A female game warden who isn't intimated by any creature human or otherwise. She spends her days chasing cougars and other wildlife, but when she happens upon dead body, her focus shifts dramatically.

This book truly has it all: gorgeous writing, beautiful PNW scenery, mysterious characters, small town secrets, murders, romance, etc.

I'm so glad I read it early, but also so sad that now I'm back to waiting for a new Sarah Crouch book!

You absolutely won't want to miss this one when it comes out in January!

This book would be so fun to read in fall / winter. The writing perfectly set the scene of the little mountain town. It was atmospheric and super descriptive. I was surprised by the romance aspect but thought it added a nice layer to the story. I wanted a few more chapters to develop the romantic connection, the jealousy felt a little over the top for how early it popped up. I also wanted a little more with the crime solving to add more suspense. I was shocked by the twist and it was not what I would have guessed. Would recommend, especially if you like beautiful forests and small town vibes.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sarah Crouch returns to the Pacific Northwest in “The Briars,” a gorgeously atmospheric thriller that combines suspense and character drama with a dash of romance, all wrapped in the misty, thorn-choked woods near Mount St. Helens. With echoes of her debut novel Middletide, Crouch once again proves her mastery of setting, mood, and slow-burning tension, but this time with even stronger emotional stakes and character development.

At the heart of “The Briars” is Annie Weston, a newly relocated game warden fleeing a toxic past in Oregon. Annie is a compelling protagonist. She’s tough, smart, and intuitive, with a refreshing no-nonsense attitude. Her knowledge of tracking and wildlife becomes an unlikely asset when a dead body is discovered near the lake in the untamed wilderness surrounding her new town of Lake Lumin. Was it an accident? A cougar attack? Or something far more sinister?

Joining Annie in this mystery is Daniel, a reclusive young man with a guarded past and a fortress of No Trespassing signs around his secluded home in the woods. As the story unfolds through alternating POVs—Annie, Daniel, and occasionally the local cop Jake Proudy towards the end—their lives twist together in unexpected ways, mirroring the literal briars that threaten to entangle them both physically and emotionally.

Where “The Briars” truly shines is in its immersive prose. The wilderness doesn’t just serve as the backdrop; it becomes a living, breathing character. Crouch paints fog-covered lakes, towering evergreens, and thorny underbrush with cinematic precision. It’s the kind of book that makes you feel the damp moss underfoot and the sharp bite of mountain air.

The mystery at the center of the book involves the death of a teenage girl—an investigation that unfolds slowly at first but gradually tightens like a snare. There are red herrings, subtle clues, and an eventual twist that feels both earned and surprising. Annie’s tracking skills come into play not just in the wilderness, but in piecing together the human behaviors around her, leading to a satisfying and unpredictable resolution.

That said, I did find the romantic subplot between Annie and Daniel to progress a bit too quickly given their limited history and mutual emotional baggage. While their chemistry is palpable and the tension adds depth to both characters, it does occasionally overshadow the central mystery, especially in the early chapters. Similarly, the intriguing presence of a cougar, acting as an eerie and symbolic threat in the wilderness, feels underutilized and could have played a larger role in both plot and theme.

Despite these minor pacing quibbles, “The Briars” succeeds as a character-driven mystery that balances emotional complexity with suspense. Daniel’s journey from traumatized loner to someone rediscovering connection is especially well done, even if it unfolds a bit rapidly. And Jake, the dependable cop with a golden-retriever vibe, adds both warmth and intrigue to the story.

Overall, “The Briars” is a haunting, lyrical, and emotionally rich thriller that blends mystery and romance against a vivid backdrop of wilderness and isolation. With its memorable characters, twisty plot, and evocative writing, it’s a must-read for fans of atmospheric small-town thrillers and slow-burn suspense. While not as fast-paced as some traditional thrillers, it rewards those who savor character depth and poetic prose.

This was so good! I've never seen a book with a game warden as the main character and I loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a truly enjoyable mystery/thriller and romance novel. The plot was fun and suspenseful but there were a few sections of the novel that could been edited and shortened.

The Briars is exactly the type of mystery I enjoy. Lots of twists and turns along the way and a classic mystery plot rather than a psychological thriller. This will be an easy book to recommend, just like Sarah’s debut, Middletide.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader copy!

Imagine a lone canoe gliding along a moonlit mountain lake leaving bioluminescent blue streaks in its wake. The occupants are newly-met strangers, yet uncomfortably attracted to each other in a way neither understands, and they are trying to find the source of scream that sounds like a woman screaming bloody murder.

After her spectacular debut “Middletide,” Sarah Crouch again brings us back to a memorable isolated patch of woods filled with dead bodies and unusual characters and it’s as mysterious and satisfying as her first novel.

Game warden Annie Weston, escaping a toxic relationship back in Bend, Oregon, has resettled in tiny Lake Lumin on the untouched side of Mount St. Helens in the Pacific Northwest. The briars surrounding the town are filled with territorial cougars, surprisingly young loners, and the discovery of a body that might have fallen, been attacked by the elusive large cat, or strangled. Annie has the help of Jake Proudy, her jack-of-all-trades law enforcement local guy to investigate, but she’s intrigued by Daniel, the twenty-something survivalist who surrounds himself with a small fortune in “No Trespassing” signs and an unknown past. In return, Daniel finds himself intrigued by Annie.

“The Briars” bears a lot of similarities to “Middletide”: small town, a mysterious death, the loner in the woods, investigators with heavy hearts seeking justice, a tentative love story. And it works again. I had an unsettled appreciation of “Middletide’s” main characters, but I was truly invested in Annie, Daniel and Jake in this novel. The author’s character development has blossomed and we get another great book from Sarah Crouch. If you liked “Middletide,” you’ll love “The Briars”; if you were hesitant about the first book, be swept away by a grander atmospheric tale. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Daniel has apple green eyes with warm brown around the pupils, Annie has hazel eyes, and Walt has green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Crouch’s descriptions of the lush beauty of the wooded areas of the Pacific Northwest are unparalleled.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

This is undoubtedly a five-star story. Crouch writes a vivid, atmospheric, and alluring book. Like other reviews, I, too, had to finish it fast! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Wow….. this was a book that was hard to put down. I finished within 48 hours. Amazing story telling, plot, characters and twists!

I was so happy to read Sarah Crouch's latest novel! Crouch captures nature so beautifully with her words, which creates a stunning foil to the atrocity of the crimes committed throughout the book. This is literary mystery at its best.

Thank you for this early copy I read this in one sitting it was so good the story came together like a hit the twist kept twisting so good you won’t be disappointed

This is a perfect transition mystery/thriller for high school students looking for something with a bit more "umph"! I devoured this in one sitting. Crouch paints a beautiful backdrop with thoughtful characters and thrilling plot points.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Reading this book felt like watching it play out as a movie. Such great writing and character development with a plot that was easy to follow and understand. Annie’s character was amazing and I was so nervous for her at times and at others I was cheering her on as she figured things out about Daniel, the recluse she meets and bonds with. Of course a body being found adds a huge twist to all of this and Annie has to figure out what happened while keeping herself safe. This was a thrilling read with a beautiful title and a complex set of emotions for the reader.

Looking for a twisty, atmospheric thriller set in a small lake town among the woods of Washington? Well, this is the one for you! I FLEW through this slump-buster of a story and I can’t wait for you to, too.

THE BRIARS is told in three POVs: Annie, a game warden who is new to town post-heartbreak; Jake, the golden retriever town cop; and Daniel, a recluse with a mysterious past. Their lives intertwine - Annie works with Jake, Jake goes fishing with Daniel, sparks fly between Daniel and Annie - but these connections start to tangle like the thorny vines the book is named for when the death of a young woman rocks the town and Annie and Jake must investigate.

Characters with emotional depth, twists and turns, eerie vibes, a little romance…this novel has it all. But what I loved most was the setting. It felt like a character in and of itself. Fog that hangs bridal veils over the pines, shadows that stretch dark, pointed fingers into the lake, evergreens standing like a silent army…Crouch is adept at crafting lush prose that gives life to the scenery.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. Make sure to check this out when it releases in January 2026!