The Wicked Hour by Alice Blanchard

Here comes the latest novel to follow up Alice’s Trace Of Evil.

Thank you Minotaur Books for my gifted ebook copy in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: The day after Burning Lake’s notorious, debauched Halloween celebration, Detective Natalie Lockhart uncovers a heartbreaking scene—a young woman, dead and lying in a dumpster. There’s no clue to who she is, save for a mystifying tattoo on her arm, and a callus underneath her chin. She’s not from around here. No one knows who she is. As Natalie retraces the young woman’s steps leading up to her death, she uncovers a deeper, darker horror—a string of murders and disappearances, seemingly unconnected, that may have ties to each other—and explain the abrupt disappearance of her best friend years ago. As she digs deeper within the mind of the hunter, Natalie finds a darkness she could never have imagined. And as she draws closer to the truth, the killer is weaving a trap for her that may prove inescapable.

I read the first story in this series and really enjoyed it – not a favorite, but definitely worth getting excited about this next installment coming out. I didn’t love this one as much as the first one. I felt like it was a little forced and rushed, especially trying to cover events, relationships, and emotions that had passed since the last book but also not trying to bring so much attention to them. The ending leaves a great opening for a third book which I still feel like I would want to read after this one! The Halloween setting was absolutely perfect if I do say so myself!

3.5/5 Stars

Trace of Evil by Alice Blanchard

I’m in LOVE with this cover! A sleepy mountain town with witchcraft and a mysterious murder…can’t ask for a better suspenseful novel!

Thank you Minotaur Books for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: Natalie Lockhart always knew she was going to be a cop. A rookie detective on the Burning Lake police force, she was raised on the wisdom of her chief-of-police father. These cases will haunt you if you let them. Grief doesn’t come with instructions. But the one thing her father couldn’t teach her was how to handle loss. Natalie’s beloved sister was viciously murdered as a teenager, and she carries the scars deep in her heart. Although the killer was locked up, the trace evidence never added up, and Natalie can’t help wondering―is the past really behind her? As the newest member on the force, Natalie is tasked with finding nine missing persons who’ve vanished off the face of the earth, dubbed “the Missing Nine.” One night, while following up on a new lead, she comes across a savage crime that will change everything. Daisy Buckner―a popular schoolteacher, wife to a cop, and newly pregnant―lies dead on her kitchen floor. As Natalie hunts for Daisy’s killer in the wake of the town’s shock, her search leads to a string of strange clues―about the Missing Nine, about Daisy’s secret life, and reviving fresh doubts about her sister’s murder. As the investigation deepens, Natalie’s every move risks far-reaching consequences―for the victims, for the town of Burning Lake, and for herself.

I’m pretty sure this book couldn’t have come out at a better time. Spooky, thrilling, and full of spell-binding mysteries. I loved it! I couldn’t put it down! What great writing! Highly recommended.

5/5 Stars