‘OMG!!…I was simply blown away by this… bushes.
When Ruth Turner walks into the Sheriff’s office in Jefferson County’s Port Townsend claiming her sister Ida Wheaton has been missing for over a month, Detective Megan Carpenter’s instincts tell her that she needs to do more than just file a report.
Racing over to Ida’s secluded farmhouse in the hills above Snow Creek, Megan finds Ida’s teenage children alone and frightened. She can’t help but notice there’s no TV. No video games. Nothing of the outside world. Something about the Wheaton family doesn’t add up and triggers a painful childhood memory for Megan – when one day, in a flash, both her parents were gone.
Then the body of a woman is discovered in an abandoned pickup truck close to the Wheatons’ home and Megan’s convinced the cases are connected.
If she has any chance of catching the killer, Megan must first unravel the secrets of the isolated Snow Creek community. But Megan has dark secrets of her own…
Hidden in the back of her closet is a box of tapes containing every single recording of her therapy sessions over thirteen years ago. Can she finally confront the past she’s spent years trying to block out? And will reliving her own painful story help her solve the complex case unravelling in the hills above Snow Creek before another innocent life is lost?
From the Number One, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Amazon Chart bestselling author comes an absolutely heart-stopping and completely unputdownable crime series, introducing Detective Megan Carpenter.
Read what everyone is saying about Snow Creek:
‘Holy cr*p what a complete stunner of a read this is it had everything, sensational, creepy, addictive with a stunningly complex plot from beginning to end and I loved. loved, loved it !!…So this is going to rate as one my best reads of the year.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘OMG! Wow. I loved this book!! …it was amazing! I can’t wait to read more! It kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t put it down. Loved, loved, loved it!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Brilliant! I do believe this is the best book by this author to date. The book is dark, intense, and makes you say oh he##. The storyline flows and the characters are intriguing. I read this in one sitting and can’t wait for more.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Wow, I absolutely loved this book! Gregg Olsen is an amazing author. Snow Creek is definitely one of the best books I have read this year. I read it every chance I had. I really liked Detective Megan Carpenter, she is a strong and intelligent woman and a cracking police officer. Can’t wait for the next book in this series… thrilling and creepy and it grabs your attention right away. Highly recommended’. Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A great and creepy story perfect for winter. I’d love to read more from this author. Fantastic and well written, highly recommended.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love, love, love Detective Megan Carpenter, a tough, thorough, no-nonsense type of detective even though she is dealing with a lot of issues in her personal life.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘If you want first class, character driven crime fiction this is also the book and author for you as Mr Olsen is one of the best writers in this genre at present.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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SNOW CREEK by Gregg Olsen is the first book in a new series featuring Detective Megan Carpenter and largely set in and around Port Townsend and Snow Creek, Washington. The novel is a police procedural with a lot of suspense.
The story begins with an interesting hook and never lets up. Then Ruth Turner meets with Detective Megan Carpenter and claims her sister has been missing for over a month. Megan believes that an investigation is warranted and finds Ida’s teenage children alone and worried in their secluded farmhouse above Snow Creek. When a body is found a few days later, Megan works to identify and catch the killer. But more is going on that meets the initial eye. Additionally, Megan is still coping with secrets from her childhood when she had a different name. Can she cope with her memories and still solve a murder?
The characters are compelling as well as memorable and Megan is definitely someone you can cheer for. Her character feels real and three-dimensional. She is likeable and relatable. The secondary characters are well-rounded and the relationships are believable.
This book is fast faced and I did not want to stop reading it even when it was very late and I needed to sleep. The author does a great job of worldbuilding and gives the reader a vivid sense of the place and people of Snow Creek. The plot is complex with several different story lines. The main plot as well as many of the auxiliary story lines are wrapped up with some twists and shocks. However, there are a few open items that will likely play into future books in the series.
This is the only book that I have read by this author but I am looking forward to the next book in the series. What a great start to a new series. It is fresh and unique. I believe those readers that enjoy crime fiction and police procedurals with a little something extra will enjoy this book.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Gregg Olsen for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
WARNING: A scene of mutilating a dead body, including decapitating it, borders on gruesome. But … reading to uncover the Prologue revelation keeps that scene from gratuitous violence. The frequent references to the main character’s past teeters toward annoying, but the main story of the murder of two teenagers keeps the reader turning pages. Olsen’s depiction of the Washington wilderness provides a great juxtaposition with the dark murders. The final page leaves no doubt another book is coming … Bring it on with more concrete details about the main character’s past.
First, I want to thank Gregg Olson, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may I bring you this review.
I have fallen in love with Gregg Olson as a writer and his new book Snow Creek!!! It was just the book I was craving to read! I am a huge fan of true crime books and even though this was fiction-it seemed so real!! Not to mention the huge cliffhanger at the end of the book!! Thank God it is a series as I must know what happens to Detective Megan Carpenter!!!!
The cover on this book was so unique and different than any other cover I had seen before. It went perfectly with the book. So, thumbs up to the graphic designer on this one.
Gregg is a phenomenal writer in that his storylines totally fascinated me to know end. From the very beginning of the book hooked me and could not take my eyes off my kindle until I was done!
Snow Creek does have some graphic violent scenes that I was not expecting. That part was a little too much for me. However, it did work well into the story.
Gregg is very creative and choose some very unique characters for his stories. He put them in settings many would not even think of. The character building was just brilliant.
Even though this is a serious book with some intense topics-Gregg still found a way to get in some humor.
WOW!!! That’s about all can say! I’ve never read a book so twisted but SO good.
I was immediately drawn into this story. The plot has so many twists and turns that I had to keep stopping to recap…just to make sure I had the facts straight. The writer’s style is a bit disconnected at times but never boring. Rylee, or Megan Carpenter as she is known at the Sheriff’s office in Port Townsend, is a good, caring cop. As she investigates a series of puzzling murders, she is also revealing her own mysterious past by revisiting tapes recorded by her therapist years before. I believe there’s more to Megan than just your normal flawed, former-victim, now-bad-ass-investigator though. The next book will tell.
This book from a good writer is not necessarily his best, but it is a good read. Some of the characters are like people I’ve known, a little bit crazy but understandable.
Follow with Waters edge
I’ve read Olsen’s books for years. He has strong storylines and has always kept my interest throughout the book. This is a new character for him, a detective with a ‘mysterious’ past which is hinted several times with bits just enough to want more. ( and gives way to more of the stories of this detective and her life)
The setting is in and around Port Townsend and Snow Creek, Washington, which got my attention. We spent a month in the area and was glad to read about it again and could imagine myself there….riding the ferry, riding along the highway around the lake area and generally enjoying revisiting a fun time. Glad I could put good memories to good use. .
The novel is a police procedural with a lot of suspense and in places, it didn’t seem that it would all be ‘tied up’ before the end. No spoilers, but I had figured most of the ending before getting there, but it did not spoil it at all. Well done, Mr. Olsen. Looking forward to the next one.
Thought I’d really enjoy this book but guess it wasn’t my type. It kept me reading but I’m not exactly sure I’ll buy another of Olsens books.
Wow, what a book, I could not put it down and I would have to say Snow Creek is the creepiest book I have read for a long time. Looking forward to the next book.
I always enjoy Greg Olsen’s books. They have strong story lines, interesting characters, and enough twists and suspense to keep you reading – just can’t put them down.
Wow! What a terrifying story. I was unable to put it down. Megan is such a compelling character, with layers that are slowly revealed. The story grabbed me and swept me to the last page. I highly recommend this book, and I can’t wait for the next book to be released.
WOW!! OMG!! What a story. This book takes you on a path that you won’t soon forget. The twists and turns are so well done. Just when I think I have things all figured out another twist hits. The only thing I did get was who actually did the killing. I thought I had it then a total surprise hit. One you won’t see coming. Then when I thought I had it another hits. I love a book that takes me on such a wild and twisting ride.
I felt like I was in the woods in the mountains of Washington where this story takes place. I felt so bad for the Wheaton children. Their mother and father are missing. Have been missing for a while and they have no idea what is going on. They are not where they said they were going.
Megan Carpenter is the detective on the case of the missing parents. Ida Wheaton’s sister reported them missing then went back to her hometown in Idaho. Now this story is full of week women with very dominating husbands and they are a bit on the fanatical religious side. Ruth Turner, Ida’s sister tells the detective that she is to only call her husband’s phone if she absolutely has too. Talk about dominating but good grief.. This is about her sister going missing.
There is also the strange neighbors that live on the somewhat isolated mountain. No one wants to be bothered and they are not a friendly bunch. There is a crazy cat woman that lives next door to the Wheatons and the two women who moved way out here to be left alone in their marriage. People just don’t want to be dragged into each other’s business. Though before it’s over some very bad things will come to light here.
While all of this is going on we also learn a great deal about Megan Carpenter’s life before she came here. She has been through so much already and dealing with that is enough to make you cringe. You’ll read about the things she went through, found out and did. How she survived some pretty messed up things in her life. Her time with a shrink that helped her a lot. She listens to the tapes the Dr made for her. They sure tell a story of their own too. It’s kind of like reading two books in one and done so well. I never lost a thing with this. It made the story even better. It would not be what it is without everything that happens.
I throughly enjoyed this book. Most all the characters are very likable. Even the crazy ones. Even the killers are somewhat likable. This book is a very good one. I can’t wait for the nest one. I know it will be great and I’ll find out what exactly happened in Megan’s life that she had to fight so hard to overcome. She’s one strong female and you will like her.
This is my first book by Gregg Olsen and will by no means be my last. I loved it. I didn’t want to put it down for anything. Trust me it is a very good pager turner that will have you guessing and second guessing.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #GreggOlsen and #Bookouture for this ARC. This is my own review.
It’s a big 4 stars. Make that 4.5 stars and a high recommendation to anyone that likes a good mystery/thriller series.
I like books by this author, who is also a real crime writer. While some of the situations seem somewhat unrealistic, I wound up wondering if they were loosely based on true situations. The story introduces us to a new heroine, Detective Megan Carpenter, a detective with her own past who is now working for a small town police force in the remote Pacific Northwest. She is approached by a fundamentalist woman who is concerned about her sister, who is also a fundamentalist living off the grid in Snow Creek. Several stories come together here: that of a lesbian couple also living remotely and who discover a body and conceal it, as well as other colorful characters who have chosen this lifestyle. Too many details would lead to spoilers, and I hate those reviews, but I will say that while some of these characters are unbelievable, I suspect that they are more real than I’d like to think. It was an interesting glimpse into strict, paternalistic Christian faiths and the problems with this (some will hate this book as a result) and the novel has several twists and turns. As other reviewers state, it does end on a cliffhanger, but in my opinion, not one that interfered with the solving of the crime at hand and the conclusion if the main mystery. I eagerly await the next in this series.
What a twisted read this was. Most of the story seemed to be straightforward crime, but about 2/3 of the way through, things took an odd turn that made me question everything I had read before. The author did a great job of keeping me guessing and laid out just enough bits of information to keep me turning pages quickly. I also liked how the story sets up the next in the series. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.
OMG, I have another favorite detective to follow and love! This is a very suspenseful police procedural featuring Detective Megan Carpenter as she tries to solve a murder while dealing with issues from her own past. There are several different story lines going on that are pretty much tied together in the end. I look forward to the next Detective Megan Carpenter adventure because I really enjoyed this one.
Detective Megan Carpenter, with the Port Townsend Police Department, continues to deal with the tragic events of her past. When Megan takes a report from the sister of a missing couple, she finds that the couple never arrived at their destination. Arriving at the home, she finds their older children living by themselves. Searching the area, she locates a pickup truck that has gone down in to a ravine. If this is the missing couple, why is there only one body found in the truck? When it looks as if the woman was killed prior to the crash, Megan now has a homicide investigation with no witnesses and no evidence. The author explains the various unique characters and their lives so that this complex story is easier to follow. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
I haven’t read a book by Greg Olson before Snow Creek, so I didn’t really know what to expect. What I found was a story that hooked my right from the start and didn’t let go of me before the last chapter was read. And it leaves me wanting more, more about what happened to Megan in the past, more about crimes happening in small towns or rural places. I don’t know yet if I like Megan. There is something that makes me weary off her and I have to know what she did. But I want her to be good and to find peace. There is nothing more to say then: Read this book, you won’t be disappointed.
Detective Megan Carpenter has recently joined a small police department. it’s a quiet town with little crime.
When a woman walks into the Sheriff’s department to report her sister has been missing for a month, Megan instantly starts to investigate. Finding two teenage children alone, they tell her their parents had left to travel a couple of weeks. Megan finds the children a bit bedraggled, but worried. As worried as they are, Megan suspects something else is going on …
Days later, close to the home she had just visited, an abandoned pickup truck was found, burned out, with a woman’s dead body in the back. Is this the body of the children’s mother? If so, where is the father? Is he victim … or a murderer?
Megan is determined to get every victim of a crime the justice they deserve.
This is a slow-burning mystery/crime with unique characters … most of whom are living off the grid and want nothing to do with any of the locals …especially the police. They all seem to have secrets and there are twists And turns at every corner. This is a real page turner!
Megan is especially unique. Her history is told in a series of audiotapes recorded by a therapist she was seeing years ago. As Megan begins to play the tapes, she’s taken straight back to her terrifying childhood, back to the time she was a kid called Rylee, fighting to survive.
BOOK BLURB — Can Megan finally confront the past she’s spent years trying to block out and will listening to her own painful story help her solve the complex case she is now entangled in?
ALERT : While there is a conclusion, there is also a big cliff hanger leading to the next book in this series. I do not normally like cliffhangers … but I’m looking forward to reading this one.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this police procedural. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Snow Creek is a fast paced mystery with false leads and switchbacks and a terrific tale to tell. Our heroine Detective Megan Carpenter is a complicated woman battling the demons from her past which make her uniquely qualified to see through the lies and obfuscations. For a great puzzle read Snow Creek.