Bitter Falls (Stillhouse Lake, #4)

by Rachel Caine

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 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?

• ISBN10: 154204233X
• ISBN13: 9781542042338
• Publish Date: 21 January 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Thomas & Mercer
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sophia]

4 stars

I was cautious going into Bitter Falls as I'd found the previous book in the series Wolfhunter River to be slightly disappointing. However, Bitter Falls completely restored my love of this series!

Gwen Proctor is now working as a Private Investigator, and her latest case finds her investigating the disappearance of Remy Landry, a college student who disappeared three years ago. Gwen is unfortunately a little too good at her job and the investigation drags her and her family into danger.

This book was an enjoyable addition to this series and Rachel Caine manages once again to keep the reader engaged and in suspense. It wasn't wholly believable (Connor is a little bit too good at fighting for a 13 year old!), but it was fun enough that this wasn't a problem. My only gripe is with the pacing, as the climax happened during a very rushed few final chapters and there wasn't a real 'winding down' after. I eagerly await the next installment in this series!

[kimbacaffeinate]

Narrated by Emily Sutton-Smith, Michael Crouch, Dan John Miller, Lauren Ezzo, and Will Ropp the Stillhouse Lake series is perfection on audio. Told from multiple perspectives Bitter Falls had me holding my breath as Gwen and the people she cherishes most find themselves in danger when Gwen works a cold case involving a missing young man in Tennessee.

It delighted me that the series would continue after the closure of the first ARC. Gwen now works as a private investigator and is working a three-year-old case involving a missing young man. Problems and fallout from their trauma continue and Caine did a great job with it, particularly with Conner’s POV. This family seriously has zero luck and darkness or evil surrounds them.

Caine touched on a couple of headliner topics and the impact those had on her characters. It allowed the reader to identify; particularly when it came to PTSD.

The case was intense, steeped in realism, and kicked into high gear at about the fifty percent mark. Prepare yourself, because Caine knows just how to grab her reader/listener. I was hooked and lost sleep devouring this one. Triggers! Triggers Everywhere! There are plenty of triggers if your susceptible begin with caution.

I loved getting inside each of the characters’ heads and while Gwen is the main point of view, Conners and Sam’s slayed me. We get Lanny’s POV too and while powerful; it was the perspectives of the other three that were gut-wrenching.

This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[Amber]

The series has definitely picked back up again after the lacklustre third book!