A great follow up to Stillhouse Lake! Tense, twisty, so much going on.

First book was great, even if it ended on a cliffhanger. Being a long time reader of Rachel Caine's books, I should be used by now, which doesn't mean I like them.

That been said, Kilman Creek is a great second installment, and I cannot wait for book #3

This is the sequel to Stillhouse Lake, a thriller I read last year and loved. This was provided for review, so thank you to NetGalley for that! Gwen Proctor is living a secret life. She used to be Gina Royal, wife and mother of two until her husband was revealed to be a prolific serial killer. She had to change her name and those of her children, bringing them on the run, moving at a minutes notice, if it looked like the internet trolls who stalked them had found their whereabouts. In the first book the family had managed to find peace at Stillhouse Lake; that is until the bodies of young women began to turn up nearby, murdered in the same gruesome method as Gwen's ex husband was known for. While that turned out to not be the work of Gwen's ex, he did escape his prison cell at the end of the first book and so now Killman Creek is about their survival again; can Gwen track him down and kill him before he finds her? I love Gwen's character; she's strong and resilient but human too. As her close knit support circle begins to dwindle she has only herself to rely on and she has to find the strength to keep going, even in the face of utter horror. It's unusual to find a female protagonist like this and I'm really hoping there'll be a third book!

WOWZA...

This book seriously stressed me out. It was so dark and fast paced. I was out of my mind trying to keep up.
My heart broke for Gwen and the number that they did on her. She was doubting herself AND she knew the truth.
GREAT read! This author really knows twisted. Looking forward to more from her.

I didn’t think the sequel to Still House could get any better as the first novel raised a high bar. I was wrong; I’m both glad and disturbed that it was better. This collection takes a dark turn in this novel and even though it’s cruel and agonising at times, it’s next to impossible to stop reading it. I’m getting ahead of myself though.

When Gwen Proctor won the battle to protect her children from her ex-husband, serial killer Melvin Royal, she thought the war was won too. She was wrong. Things take a dark turn when Melvin escapes from prison and threatens her family’s lives. This time, however, she refuses to be the hunted. Not longer safe at Stillhouse, Gwen leaves her children, Connor and Lanny, in the custody of a well-armed neighbour and goes hunting. Who knew that knowing one of the sickest serial killers gave you some essential knowledge? Together with the brother of one of the many victims, Larry, how far is she willing to go to protect her children? Very, very far.

It’s a strong and dark sequel; it made me stay glued to its page even when it got unbearable. A complete washing machine of emotions and moments that keep the reader on the seat. The pace of the story is fast, full of action and non-stop suspense. Unlike the unique perspective of the main female character, in the sequel, the reader has four perspectives: Gwen, her children and Lanny. Rachel Caine manages the different points-of-view perfectly and it’s easy to jump from one to the other without getting lost in the process.

​The setting is much darker than the previous instalment. Caine takes us on a dark journey through the world of torture, child pornography and the exchanges made on the dark side of the internet.

The characters are incredible, more than in the first book. Now that we’ve been introduced to Gwen and her works of her serial killer ex-husband, this novel explores the effect of all the moving, close calls and the lasting repercussions of being implicated in the horrid works of a monster. It was a bit heartbreaking to read the doubt in the minds of the children, questioning their mothers’ motivations and actions. Gwen is still a woman to be reckoned with, even more than before. Now, she’s tired of running and ready to do whatever it takes to have peace. Her emotions and her attitude make her one of the most believable characters I've read so far this year. The villain is both scary and incredibly imagined. The way he's described and his style of hunting had me looking over my shoulder in the street.

Caine raised the bar very high for the next installment. I can’t wait to see what she will create next. I recommend this book to all the fans of a good, heart-stopping thriller filled with action.

​Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.

This was an excellent sequel to Stillhouse Lake. I didn’t want to put it down at all.

The characters are as good as they were in book 1. It felt like it focused on all the other characters, leaving Gwen and Lanny feeling more like background characters as we learn more about Connor and Sam. I did particularly like the multiple POVs, and it really helped to add to the sense of tension and conflict.

I also really liked learning more about Absolom. Learning about the structure and the uses and the dark net was really interesting, and I just wanted to keep reading to learn more.

This book did not consume me like Stillhouse Lake did. Stillhouse was one of the best books I have ever read. Killman was repetitive and took too long to get to where it was going. Tired me out.

Book 1 was just so good and the ending was breathtaking, my expectation with this sequel was so high but even so I wasn't disappointed. The author delivered...

After what happened in Stillhouse Lake, Gwen is now hunting Melvin and his accomplices. She must do it, in order to protect her children from their father who just escaped from jail and then have a normal life for them. Her determination is even strong thinking that she learned from one of the worst killers alive anyway-Melvin himself. And she has Sam, brother of one of Melvin's victims.

At first I was worried when I saw that unlike book 1 which was told only thru Gwen's POV, Killman Creek is told in 4. Too many POVs can mean too much information revealed, but that didn't happen. In fact having all of the main characters' POV was brilliant because all their thoughts were necessary to the plot and its development.
The story is still intense and i couldn't just stop reading. Yeah okay, the things happened might be little expected, still didn't stop me from devouring this book. Besides, in book 1, I already invested so much feelings and care towards the characters and so the fact that they are endangered made me turn the pages and read as fast as I can. :)
The characters, needless to say, are still well-developed... Ahm specially Lanny. :) I loved her even more this time. :)
And Sam.... :)
And COnnor...
And Gwen, darn I love her. Though I'm not yet a mother and maybe will never be, I can feel her emotions towards her children which is both endearing and touching. This, in fact, is one of the reasons why book 1 was so amazing. With Gwen as narrator, you can't help but care for her and her struggles and fear for her. And that sentiment was of course carried through book two.
Overall, this is one of the best thriller I read in 2017... And Rachel Caine a new-to-me author, didn't disappoint. This won't be my last of her.

I loved Stillhouse Lake SO much and was so eager to dive into Killman Creek, but, unfortunately it really did not do it for me like its predecessor did. When I finished Stillhouse, my heart was literally pounding so hard I thought it would burst out of my chest and I needed to start Killman immediately. I knew once I was taking my time and reading a few chapters here and there between other books that this one wasn't going to be the same 5 star experience for me. I still wanted to finish this one, regardless. Anyone who knows me, knows I read VERY VERY quickly (something I have done since I first learned to read) and sometimes read more than one book in a day. I read this over the course of 18 days, so there you go!

Great read! Honest edge of your seat thriller. Who do you trust when you trust no one?

3.5 crime thriller stars

This book is a sequel to Stillhouse Lake and really needs to be read in sequence. If you haven't read the first book, I would strongly suggest doing so before delving into this one.

Killman Creek overall was an enjoyable and fast paced read. However, with that said, I'm a little torn about Killman Creek. On the one hand, the writing was tense and engaging and it was fun to re-visit the characters from Stillhouse Lake as they hunted the infamous serial killer Melvin Royal. The story is told from multiple perspectives including Gwen Proctor, Sam, Connor and Lanny.. This allowed the story to break into two plot lines - one focused on Gwen and Sam as they searched for Absalom and Melvyn; and the other on Connor and Lanny being left behind in hiding.

I was quite captivated by the first plot line involving Sam and Gwen (although it started off a little slow). I found the second plot line with Gwen's kids not as engaging and even a tad frustrating. I think if the book had only focused on Gwen's adventure, I would have liked it more. I will say there were emotional moments that I wasn't expecting midway through that had me glued to the pages. Overall a solid read and a good sequel to the original.
A warm felt thank you to publisher, Rachel Caine and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

With how the first was left, I wasn't super thrilled about reading this one, and was even less thrilled when I noticed a 3rd was going to be released because it left me with the feel that there were going to be two books full of cat and mouse activity until someone finally dies. Don't get me wrong, I usually prefer for everyone to die, which I know is morbid, but I don't always like a happy ending.

I just don't know how much more poor Gwen and her kids can take. Connor is already super messed up and I have a feeling he might be headed down the same path.
Also the Sam and Gwen factor, in the real world, I don't see people ever getting over the emotional trauma and the trust issues that these guys have, but to each their own I guess. I guess with hard work and determination anything is possible.

Don't get me wrong, I obviously enjoyed it enough to finish it and I will finish the 3rd when it comes out, but man, these poor people have suffered enough.

This second installment to Stillhouse Lake blew me away. If you have not read the first novel, you need to and you need to read them in order. You will be lost on background knowledge if you don't start with Stillhouse Lake. 

From the first page to the last page, I was completely engaged, I was on the edge of my seat and I did not know what was going to happen. This was a thrill ride! I loved the first novel, but I loved this one even more. 
The book opens up with a little background story (not enough to fill you in though) of where the last book ended off. Gwen Proctor previously know as Gina Royal in her past life will stop at nothing when hunting down her ex-husband. During this adventure, Sam Cade stays by her side even though he has all the reason in the world to turn against her and kill her himself. Her ex-husband has brutally murdered his sister and how is he to know if Gwen actually helped. The evidence that shows up in this novel doesn't make it look good for her in his eyes, or her children's. 

Not only does Gwen face the sicko patrol, Absalom, and her ex-husband she has to face the small circle of friends she does has and the reasons they turned against her when she needed them the most. 

Gwen is at a fight for her life to protect her children and it was the most suspenseful read I have read. I could not read this book fast enough for how busy my personal life is. If I had no other engagements, I could have easily read this book in a sitting or two. 

Looking at characters, I have to share my love for Sam Cade. Not only is a huge character in the book but he is a strong character. I want to have my own Sam Cade when fighting issues. He is brave, supportive, strong, gentle and flies by the seat of his pants. My favorite kind of character.

This novel was full of twists and turns. Reading it, I could picture this movie as a motion picture and I'm really crossing my fingers in hope that might happen one day. This is a great two book story and would make a great movie!

The Stillhouse Lake Series is a series I will love for all time and will read again when necessary. Highly recommended!

This installment of the Stillhouse Lake trilogy was such a good sequel to book one. It was full of even more twists - if possible and really kept one wondering exactly what side certain characters were on. I couldn't even imagine the path that the author followed in telling the story of Gwen and her battle to escape Melvin, her ex-husband serial killer. This book didn't just live up to my expectations for the sequel --- it surpassed them.
Anxiously awaiting the third book to see what happens next.

After reading the first book in 2017 and loving it, I was happy and thankful to receive an eARC copy from the publisher of this book. Here is my honest review.

Gwen Proctor managed to defeat her serial killer ex-husband, Melvin Royal, and save her children from his accomplices when they infiltrated their home at Stillhouse Lake. Now that Melvin has escaped prison, a whole new set of concerns turns their world upside down. Suddenly Gwen, Lanny, and Connor realize that they are not safe anywhere.

Stillhouse Lake and all the hopes the Proctor family’s house held there are gone. Instead of reverting to going on the run, Gwen decides to take a stand and become the hunter instead of the hunted. With the aid of the brother of one of Melvin’s victims, she set out to track down the monster she used to call her husband. As the depths to the evil that Melvin encompasses come to light, Gwen begins to fear if she will ever be successful in ridding him from her life. Will Gwen be able to escape Melvin once and for all or will he destroy her before she has the chance?

Rachel Caine brings back a stronger, angrier, and more determined Gwen Proctor in KILLMAN CREEK, the second novel in a series focusing on her life. Instead of running from her fears, Gwen has decided to seek vengeance for the horrible crimes that rocked her world five years ago and the man that caused them. STILLHOUSE LAKE was an exhilarating ride with a family trying to escape their past. Caine stepped up the notch with the second edition. I was at the edge of my seat wanting to know what was going to happen next. I raced through the last few chapters wanting to know how things would end. KILLMAN CREEK is perfect for a reader looking to go on the hunt for a serial killer and step into not only their mind, but the minds of those they have impacted.

3.5 of 5 stars

Not as good as the first book, if I’m to be honest, but still a very fun read. When we last saw Gwen Proctor at the end of Stillhouse Lake, she’d just barely managed to keep her children out of the vengeful reach of her ex-husband, the infamous serial killer Melvin Royal. But that was before the prison break. Now Melvin is on the loose, and with no shortage of help from his network of psychotic fans, he’s also many times more dangerous and resourceful enough to evade the cops.

Tired of running, Gwen knows that as long as her ex-husband is still out there, she and her family will never be safe. Their house at the peaceful lakeside has become a target, prompting Gwen to hide her daughter Lanny and son Connor away with a neighbor so that they will be protected. With her kids out of harm’s way, there’s only one thing left to do. Not content to sit around waiting for news, Gwen and her friend Sam Cade, the brother of one of Melvin’s victims, decide to team up and go hunting for Melvin by themselves.

There’s no denying Killman Creek was an exciting read. Having enjoyed the first book immensely though, there were several areas where I felt this sequel was weaker, not to mention a few plot developments that were just plain infuriating. There was also a decreased sense of urgency, with the story taking a long time to build. At first, I thought we would be getting a lot more thrills by following Gwen and Sam as they go hunting, but turns out, they just end up being played for fools at every turn. This portrayal made them seem unprepared, gullible, and incompetent—a disappointing contrast from the confidence they instilled in Stillhouse Lake.

I did, however, enjoy getting perspective chapters from Gwen’s children, Lanny and Connor. That said, the new POVs came with their own issues, namely the way Caine milked the “naïve child” trope. Yes, we’ve all seen how young children in these kinds of stories are often manipulated because they don’t know any better, but it still irked to see how quickly and unquestioningly Gwen’s kids quickly turned on her, especially after everything she’s done for them and knowing the evil and deception their father was capable of.

But perhaps the biggest gut-punch was what happened to Sam’s character. Pretty much any chemistry that was established between him and Gwen was nullified by the events in this book, and I am still mystified as to why the author decided to take their relationship in this direction, in essence throwing all her hard work out the window. If Sam had any reason to still distrust Gwen, it should have been resolved in the first book, and I would have liked to see them move on to a new and different conflict. Instead, we retread old ground, using an unrealistic and far-fetched scenario to force a wedge between them. Again, after everything Gwen has done to prove herself, it just didn’t feel right for all that goodwill to be swept aside like it meant nothing to the people who supposedly loved her and had her back after all this time.

Still, while it may seem like this review is full of nothing but complaints, I do want to make it clear that I did enjoy this—just not as much as the first book. As a sequel though, I thought it was decent, and if you were a fan of Stillhouse Lake, there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t read this next chapter of Gwen’s hair-raising battle against the monstrous Melvin Royal. Despite my criticisms of Killman Creek, I also really loved how it ended. In fact, given the tidy way it ended, I was actually quite surprised when I discovered there will be at least one more novel, disproving my initial thought that this series would be a duology. I’m curious to see how Rachel Caine will continue the story, so there is no doubt in my mind I’ll be picking up the next installment.

This is the second book in the Stillhouse Lake series and the second book I've read written by Rachel Caine. I really liked both books and will definitely be reading more of Ms. Caine's books. I received the first book, Stillhouse Creek, from Amazon. It was a free featured book for Amazon Prime members. When I saw the second book was in the works, I watched for it and was thrilled when I saw it available on Net Galley. I loved it almost as much as I loved Stillhouse Lake. In fact, I liked it so much I bought the paperback as a Christmas gift this year. Just like the first book, I couldn't put it down once I started!

The first thing I liked was the well-developed characters. I found myself town between liking and disliking Gwen. I don't know if Rachel did that on purpose, but it certainly made me want to keep reading to decide whether she was legit in her hatred for her ex-husband or if there was a possibility she was connected to him. I also foud myself a little irritated that she allowed herself to be scamed which resulted in her being found.

I can't wait for the third book to come out and to read more from Rachel. I definitely recommend this book and this series.

After truly enjoying the first book in the series, Stillhouse Lake, I couldn't wait to follow the journey of the characters. It was this book that led me to NetGalley. Killman Creek was just as suspenseful and captivating as its predecessor.

Thrilling, chilling and not one to read alone in the dark!!

Great follow-up to Stillhouse Lake. These books are tense and smart. As I read them I'm in awe of the character of Gwen and what she does in order to protect her children from their serial-killer father and the angry public that blames Gwen for her husband's murders. Rachel Caine never shies away from the showing us the scope of the horrors Gwen experiences and she never once uses gore and violence to titillate. #KillmanCreek #NetGalley