An Amazon Charts, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling series.She’s investigating a cold case no one else could—by going places no else would dare.In spite of a harrowing past still haunting her, Gwen Proctor is trying to move forward. Until a new assignment gives her purpose: the cold-case disappearance of a young man in Tennessee. Three years missing, no clues. Just Ruth Landry, a … years missing, no clues. Just Ruth Landry, a tortured mother in limbo. Gwen understands what it’s like to worry about your children.
Gwen’s investigation unearths new suspects…and victims. As she follows each sinister lead, the implications of the mystery grow more disturbing. Because the closer Gwen gets, the closer she is to a threat that looms back home.
In a town that’s closed its ranks against Gwen; her partner, Sam; and her kids, there’s no bolder enemy than the Belldene family—paramilitary, criminal, powerful, and vengeful. As personal vendettas collide with Gwen’s investigation, she’s prepared to fight both battles. But is she prepared for the toll it could take on everyone she loves?
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Bitter Falls (Stillhouse Lake #4) by Rachel Caine is a pulse-pounding, nail-biting non-stop adrenaline rush of a mystery. This story kept me on the edge of my seat and flipping pages and left me physically and emotionally exhausted. Just when things are going right for Gwen and the kids everything blows up in spectacular cascading fashion leaving them fighting to get out alive. This is an incredible tale of love and determination.
Excellent entry into the series!
I love the progression of the family, and the development of the individual Characters! PTSD was brought up and dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner.
As a faithful follower of this series, I was so excited to read the 4th installment in Gina Royal’s desperate search for peace, aka Bitter Falls.
First and foremost, yes, it was very good.
But…and this is a pretty big “but”…I can’t be the only reader who was both mentally and physically exhausted by the constant “then my blood turned ice cold” and “my brother/partner/sister/whoever is GONE” frenzy. I understand that the author was eager to maintain the breakneck pace and intensity set by the first three books in the series, but come on! Each character was always on the verge of a stress-induced stroke, constantly doing the “get yourself together because you have to save the freaking world” self-talk. (Contrived is the word that kept coming to mind.)
While the characters were desperately striving to contain their heart-stopping reactions to whatever new outrageous happening was on deck — and whew, there was always a new something to freak out about — I found I wasn’t tense with them. Instead I was sitting there blinking, and thinking “Seriously? Again?”
I started thinking we could make a great drinking game out of the panic and freakout pronouncements. But not with tequila, or I’d be naked, wasted and dancing on a table by the sixth chapter.
It was just too much. I’m glad to have been a spectator to yet more harassment and righteous fighting from the Proctor family, but instead of a fear factor of 11, I believe we all would have been happy with an 8. Maybe even a 7.
I have really enjoyed this series. I listened to this one on Audible and the. Narration was excellent. This particular book gave me a little of the feeling from the Netflix show Ozark. A quick listen that kept me intrigued.
This book was supposed to have come out much sooner, but it definitely is well worth the wait! Continuing on with the main characters is great, but this “adventure” was just totally amazing! So much action and unpredictable stuff at every turn! A real thrill ride! More please!
In this book, Gween Proctor and her family are barely holding on.
The town they live in is against them.
The kids can barely function in school.
Sam has to travle further and an further from home to find work.
In this gripping book, Gwen in is given a case of finding a boy who has been missing for 3 years. The more clues she finds, the more dangereous things become, not only for her but for her entire family.
This story was a rollercoaster of feelings. I was angry and scared on the edge of my seat. I could not put the book down until the story was resolved.
Another masterpeice from a master writer.
Another Incredible book by Rachel Caine. I had a hard time putting it down. This series puts you right in the middle of the story. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. A must read!!
I had read every single one of her weather warden novels so when I seen this with also I opened it up. Since the others had been on my tbr I was a happy camper to get a taste of something else this author writes. This also was a perfect fit into what my personal reading was of late suspense and mystery. This also dealt with a cold case with them being very intriguing. Gwen will go into this with wanting answers but it also adds new things to it too. Her and Sam will have more than they thought with this one. The intrigue will also bring her loved ones into danger so we too will come to the edge. So this author sure can write whatever genre she does with it being a fabulous escape and one that takes you with no mercy.
I received this ARC for an honest review. I LOVE RACHEL CAINE!!! I read this book in under a day. It kept my attention from the very beginning and can’t wait for the next one! This is the fourth book in this series. It is about Gwen, Sam, Lanny, & Connor. Gwen is a private investigator and Sam is a contractor. Sam lives with Gwen and her children Lanny & Connor. Gwen is hired to find Remy Landry a missing collage student, but she was hired by All Saints International not his parents…Why? You need to read the book. I can’t really talk to much more about the story without doing spoilers and I don’t want to. Because it’s such a good book, I’ll let the professional tell the story. Rachel Caine does a wonderful job with the grabbing your attention and emotions. It was an exciting ride. I loved it all!
This is the 4th book in this series and this family just doesn’t seem to get a break st all. Gwen Proctor is one tough woman. She had to be her husband was a serial killer.If you’ve ever seen the TV show The Following it’s similar. He had crazy people doing his bidding. The place they thought was there safe haven has turned against them so they are ready to move somewhere new. This time she’s up against a cult full of religious fanatics. She’s investigating a missing person. This book is suspenseful and fast paced. On to the next.
Gwen has had a hard life, atleast the last few years, and it seems like she attracts danger at every turn. She struggles to keep her family safe from all the evil people bring to her door step. Her new case searching for answers to a missing boys disappearance 3 years ago leads as I’m sure you suspect, to more danger. Sam has his own troubles that are taking a darker turn and the kids are targets yet again. Intriguing storyline with some action and suspense as well as the support and love of family and friends through it all! Definitely another five star read that should not be missed!
Another impressive instalment in this series and as usual this family are up against it but come out fighting. Gwen and Sam might be having problems with some of their neighbours but that doesn’t stop Gwen taking on a case about a missing young man. Turns out he tried to help a young woman escape a Cult and its a barbaric organization that has heinous plans to make an army of Saints ! Gwen will always fight for her family and those who need protection but this time she’s going to need all the help she can get because she’s a pawn in someone else’s game.
I love this series and heartily recommend it to those who enjoy a thriller that chills you to the bone. Yes there’s lighter moments and real love here but it’s the truly nasty and vile characters who get introduced along the way that keep me glued to every page because nothing is ever simple or straightforward but always exciting and unpredictable.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
This is the 4th book in this series and just as great as the others! A thriller that kept me on the edge until the end waiting to see what would happen. In this one the town goes against her family as she is trying to solve the disappearance of a boy. Between the case and the threats against her family this is a can’t put down book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book. This is my fair and honest review.
Bitter Falls is the 4th book in the Stillhouse series. This was the first book I have read from this series and this author. This book contains a little bit of everything, the main character Gwen Proctor was formerly married to a serial killer that now she is a PI trying to protect her children and partner. That isn’t always easy when the media has made your life a living nightmare. Hillbilly drug dealers, cult leader just a few of the characters you will find in this book. Overall I enjoyed the book, it was well written but at times it has a really dark overtone. I would recommend it to others.
Ever find yourself too invested in characters in a book? The first two books in this series were such were great psychological thrillers and you felt deeply for Gwen and her 2 kids for everything they had been through. I struggled with the third book – not because it was a badly written book – but because I wanted something else for Gwen and her kids and I couldn’t turn off my emotions on how I felt the author was doing them wrong. I went into this book a little more chill and found myself back to enjoying it like the first two. Which is ironic because Bitter Falls main plot its tied to some pretty big things from Wolfhunter River.
Gwen is now a PI working for Kingston Investigations and is given a cold case of a missing college student. Boy does her investigation open up the biggest can of worms you’ve ever seen and thrust her whole family right back in the middle of harm’s way (not that they ever really are out of the spotlight).
Things go from suspenseful to extremely suspenseful in no time. This is something the author excels at writing. I was also happy with how things ended for Gwen, Sam and her kids. Don’t know if there will be more books in the series or not but I am happy again with how things were at the end of this book – cause yeah you know it’s all about making me happy – KIDDING 🙂
On a side note. I hope to god that the school shooting drills that was portrait in this book was more fiction than truth. I know they do happen in schools but the example the author wrote in this book was horrific and gut-wrenching. That our kids are having to be traumatized in training for something that may happen is heartbreaking.