Okay, now that was thrilling!

"Rage is better than fear. Always."

I have to be honest, I wasn't all that excited going into this. I wasn't the biggest fan of Stillhouse Lake. But Killman Creek, OMG, it had everything I was hoping to find in a thriller. It was exhilarating, emotional, and completely entrancing. I spent the majority of the day reading it, my eyeballs are glossed over and bloodshot, but I just had to finish it.

Gwen knows that it's hunt or be hunted. "Just wait there, you son of a bitch. I'm coming for you. I'm coming." She has no choice but to leave her kids behind for their protection; she leaves Lanny and Connor with Javier and Kezia and her and Sam hit the road on a mission to find Melvin before he finds them. Her one and only goal, to keep her kids safe. Gwen and Sam soon learn that Absalom is not just one person, but a group, and discovering more about this group might just help lead them to Melvin. Only, they don't realize the true danger they are facing and exactly what Absalom is capable of. Evidence soon surfaces that brings Gwen's involvement in Melvin's work into question. "People like to say that cameras don't like, but they can. And when they do, everyone believes." Tensions become high, and Gwen's feeling alone and her word is no longer credible. Feeling like there's no other option, Gwen decides it's time to take drastic measures. "If I'm already dead to the people I love, I might as well die for them."

I liked that we got to see multiple POV's in this novel compared to just Gwen's POV as in Stillhouse Lake. Being able to understand what the children are feeling added a different element to the novel. One POV we don't get to see is Melvin's. I think that because the reader never truly knows where Melvin is or how he's feeling, it creates a bit more mystery and impending dread. I thoroughly enjoyed that we saw more of the cat and mouse chase in this novel, though it wasn't quite what I was expecting. I felt the character development was better this time around in this novel, and perhaps that's because we get multiple POV's as previously pointed out. I felt more connected to the characters, they felt more fragile this time around. The hard exterior is slowly peeled away like the layers of an onion exposing the raw an emotional center.

I'm glad I gave this novel a chance, because it turned out to be great. Maybe it helped that I actually read this one rather than listened to the audio version. I really think that the audio version affected my opinion of Stillhouse Lake, anyway, this is about Killman Creek, and it's great. Get your hands on it and get to reading!

I want to thank NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Rachel Caine, for allowing me the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my review.

I actually requested this before the reading the book in the series. I wanted to read them back to back. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me as ALL of my bookstagrammmer friends loved the first and second book of Killman Creek But I couldn’t get into stillhouse lake. It was too slow for me in the beginning but that’s just me. Seeing the high rating on Goodreads and Amazon I would still suggest giving it a go. Obviously the problem is me lol. Many thanks.

Best follow up/sequel thriller I might have ever read! Seriously pulling for this family and for Gwen and Sam. Invested in each of the characters! Loved questioning myself during the book trying to determine if Gwen was innocent. All the stars!

"But the past never leaves us. It's in every breath, every cell, every second."

Gwen Proctor should know -- she was married to a serial killer and has been hounded and on the run ever since his conviction and death sentence. Unfortunately, people believe that she was a conspirator in his evil torture murder spree and they won't leave her alone. Aiding in their pursuit of her is a shadowy wide-spread group known only as Absalom.

Now the tables are turned -- as at the end of book one, Melvin Royal had escaped from prison and is looking for Gwen and his two children. Gwen decides that she has had enough of hiding in fear and is now going on the hunt for Mel. While friends keep watch over the kids, Lanny and Connor, Sam Cade and Gwen begin the counter pursuit.

This is action-packed and fast-paced for the most part. Gwen still is on repeat with her "keep the kids safe" at any cost mantra, and the point of view changes as different characters in the book narrate alternating chapters. I didn't really like that as much because, as usual, the kids both do stupid things and react like children do to situations they don't fully comprehend. But, other than those minor quibbles, I enjoyed the plot and the conclusion was quite satisfying. Gwen was a bit of a super woman, but she had trained specificially for this purpose so it seemed fitting and believable to a degree. Sam is still a bit of an enigma. They all are going to need a lot of therapy to get over this!

I really hope that this concluded the story of Gwen and her kids because I'm not sure where it would go next unless a completely new focus and direction. I enjoyed both books and was happy to be able to read them one after another. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the e-book ARC to read and review. And yes, if there is a #3, I'll be in line to pick it up as well!

"My ex-husband is a monster, and I thought he was safely contained and caged, awaiting execution . . . but even from behind bars he ran a campaign of terror against me and our kids."

You would think that this would go without saying, but just in case... If you have not read Stillhouse Lake and you do not want to read spoilers from said first installment in this series, stop reading now! (**However, I do think that this novel does a fantastic job at it's provision of background knowledge, so that I believe it could be read as a stand-alone novel without any issues!)

Gwen Proctor and her children, Lanny & Connor, have been through the wringer over the past few years. Gwen was once Gina Royal, the wife of Melvin Royal, and living your average suburban lifestyle until someone wrecked a van into her garage and equally wrecked her life. In Stillhouse Lake, Gwen (her new identity) and her children start a new chapter in their new home, trying to escape their past and move on with life. But her husband ends up pursuing her through his psychological games and twisted followers who are more than willing to help him. At the end of Stillhouse Lake, Lanny & Connor have escaped a murderous police officer, thanks to the help of their mother and Sam Cade, and Gwen learns that her husband, along with many other inmates, has escaped from prison.

When Killman Creek begins, we jump right into the action as Gwen and Sam are making plans to go find Melvin Royal. Gwen leaves her children with trusted friends in Norton and sets out on a mission to find Melvin before he can find them (specifically, before he finds her children)--the hunters instead of the hunted. This mission turns out to be more difficult than they expected, as the mysterious Absalom throws unexpected twists and turns into their pathway. Gwen is a fighter and she is bound and determined to do whatever is necessary to keep her family safe and to take down Melvin Royal once and for all. She is ready to end this--even if it means sacrificing her own life.

One of the things that I did not like at first about this novel was the change in point of view. Stillhouse Lake (Stillhouse Lake #1) was told exclusively from Gwen's point of view. Killman Creek contains alternating chapters from the points of view of Gwen, Sam, Lanny, and Connor. I quickly understood the reasoning for this, as it would have been difficult to display the entire plot events without having multiple perspectives. All understanding aside, I found the voices of Lanny and Connor to be less genuine at times... they did not feel like authentic adolescent voices and there was some (seemingly random) teenage drama thrown in the mix that didn't really add to the novel, in my opinion.

However, the alternating view points provided a lot of insight into the emotions that the other characters were experiencing and displayed their raw questioning and mistrust of Gwen during the unfolding of events. I also think that the other character's thoughts, especially those of Sam Cade, helped strengthen the character of Gwen in the eyes of the reader as he observed her diligence and daring sense of courage.

"Gwen's all raw pain, wired in place with steely control. Looking at her, you'd never doubt that she means what she says. And I don't, not about Melvin Royal. She will face him head-on. And she won't run.

'We're going to kill him,' I say."

This novel is fast-paced and action-packed. The emotion is raw and as a reader, it is hard not to reflect Gwen's feelings of frustration and, in my opinion, raw hopelessness at times. There were many moments that I was thinking "COME ON! Give her a break for one second... she can't win for losing!". It was that sense of frustration for her that kept me quickly reading on to see how she was going to come out on top in this situation.

The ending of this novel was dark and twisty... You can't take on a serial killer without running into some gore and violence. Melvin Royal is one messed up fella', for sure! I was thoroughly satisfied with the ending. No cliffhanger, no messy lose ends. However... I get the sense that my journey with Gwen and her family may not be over... Just today, I saw that Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake #3) has been projected to reach publication in 2018. You go, Rachel Caine.

Review Posted on the following sites:

Blog:
http://offthepressreads.com/killman-creek-stillhouse-lake-2/

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2211224022

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R28VQYXN236BSL/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0773WNP48

This was a great sequel to the earlier book. The suspense is unreal and I could not put it down. I love the characters and the emotions seem real and are very complicated. A very dark story - not to be read alone!!

Killman Creek starts off where Stillhouse Lake ended.  Gwen decides that she needs to find her escaped husband, Melvin, before he finds them.  Gwen and Sam leave the kids behind with Javier and start hunting.

This book is mostly told by Gwen and Sam, but we also have chapters with Connor and Lanny.  Connor's chapters seem to be the most important to me.  He's struggling with his feelings for his father.  Especially after a video appears which makes him doubt his mom's innocence in the crimes.  He also seems to think that maybe he's bad like his dad.  He is almost split between two people.  Connor and who he used to be, Brady.  

"But I'm half-bad anyway, right?  My dad's half of me.  He has a monster inside."

Sam continues having issues with his feelings for Gwen and she is mostly focused on keeping her kids safe.  Melvin does his best to continue to manipulate and control her from a distance.  It's like he can always find her.  Sam and Gwen are also looking for Absalom.  

There is a lot of action in this one along with some descriptive sections of the crimes.  Certain parts got pretty intense.  It kept me wanting more and there were parts that made the book hard to put down.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one.  Just as much as book one.  I gave Killman Creek 4 stars.  Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a digital arc for review.

EXCERPT: ...she's someone's daughter.

She's standing on the balls of her feet, straining to keep her balance, because if she relaxes at all, the noose bites into her neck. It's deliberate and cruel and finely calculated, just like the tools hung on pegboard, arrayed in order on the walls. On the wooden workbench, toolboxes stand open to display wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers . . . all color-coded, aligned in precise rows in the drawers.

Precise in his barbarity.

There are two other people in the room. One man adjusts lighting, ignoring the girl and her horrible struggle. Another one adjusts the focus on a video camera on a tripod. Both look completely normal, and it's horrifying to see that this is just work to them. Just another day.

THE BLURB: Every time Gwen closed her eyes, she saw him in her nightmares. Now her eyes are open, and he’s not going away.

Gwen Proctor won the battle to save her kids from her ex-husband, serial killer Melvin Royal, and his league of psychotic accomplices. But the war isn’t over. Not since Melvin broke out of prison. Not since she received a chilling text…

You’re not safe anywhere now.

Her refuge at Stillhouse Lake has become a trap. Gwen leaves her children in the protective custody of a fortified, well-armed neighbor. Now, with the help of Sam Cade, brother of one of Melvin’s victims, Gwen is going hunting. She’s learned how from one of the sickest killers alive.

But what she’s up against is beyond anything she feared—a sophisticated and savage mind game calculated to destroy her. As trust beyond her small circle of friends begins to vanish, Gwen has only fury and vengeance to believe in as she closes in on her prey. And sure as the night, one of them will die.

MY THOUGHTS: My first encounter with author Rachel Caine and the second book in her Stillhouse Lake series, Killman Creek, just blew me away. And I haven't read the first in the series. But I will.

Action packed, stunning, horrifying, thought provoking, compelling and so damned real! I feel battered and shattered.

I couldn’t understand why I had never before come across this author. Looking her up, she is a prolific writer, but this is a new genre for her. I hope it is one she will continue with.

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Killman Creek by Rachel Caine for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Disclaimer: It’s pretty much impossible to review Killman Creek without spoilers for Stillhouse Lake since it ends on a huge cliffhanger, so if you haven’t read Stillhouse Lake yet, stop here. I won’t discuss any spoilers for Killman Creek though.

This book picks up right where the first one left off. Most of the criminals from the prison break have been caught, but of course Melvin Royal is still on the loose. Gwen decides to leave her kids behind with Javier and Kezia and go off with Sam in search of her ex-husband.

Killman Creek is such an emotional roller coaster. If you like thrillers, then this is the book for you, my heart was beating a mile a minute every time I picked up this book. I struggled with the first book in that I found it very graphically disturbing. This one was worse in that it was really emotionally disturbing on top of still being graphic.

I thought Lanny and Connor were basically going to be absent from this book, which I would have been okay with because I can’t deal with people who mess with kids and their story-line stressed me out so much. But they still had a large role in the book and both narrated sections of the story. This definitely made it a better novel and Caine explored a lot of interesting moral themes. We get more insight into Lanny and Connor’s experiences and the emotional struggles of having a serial killer for a father. Especially for Connor who was so young when his Dad was convicted and can only remember the good things about their relationship and really wants a father figure in his life.

This book is definitely a page-turner and once I started it I could not put it down or stop thinking about it. I’m giving it 4 stars because it really is a good book and Rachel Caine definitely made me feel things, but overall it’s just not the book for me - too dark and disturbing.

“I’m not going to walk away without letting him know he’s not safe. Not from me. Not anymore.”

Gwen Proctor is back – and this time she means business! After Melvin’s prison break, Gwen is determined to stop him once and for all. But she will have to rally all her forces to keep this monster away from her children. For the most part, this sequel to Stillhouse Lake was even more action-packed than the first book. It’s fast-paced, thrilling, and you as a reader don’t get a minute to relax – and you shouldn’t when Melvin Royal is breathing down your neck! But it’s not Melvin alone who is trying to finish what he couldn’t when they were still married. He has an army of followers from the Darknet behind him who threatens to destroy Gwen’s family for good. And they seem to stop at nothing.

“You never understand how vulnerable you are in this age of social media until something breaks against you and then … then it’s too late. You can shut down Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, you can change your phone number and your e-mail. Move to new places. But for dedicated tormentors, that isn’t a barrier. It’s a challenge. They enjoy hitting. They don’t particularly care if the blows ever land, and it becomes a contest of who can post the most shocking, degrading material. The torrent comes from nowhere, and everywhere, and the hatred … it’s like poison, seeping from the screen into your brain.”

In Killman Creek, Rachel Caine has her heroine walk through all circles of hell. A woman who, when seemingly broken beyond repair, still goes on because she has a purpose: defend her children or die trying. It’s a mother spurred by anger and fierceness that makes this book so utterly appealing.

“The pain is in my heart, in the empty space of my womb where they grew, and it’s so primal that I don’t know how to live through it.”

It might not always be realistic, but it’s hugely entertaining. This would work so well as a movie (and Gwen does remind me a lot of Gina Davis in The Long Kiss Goodnight). The only thing I’d dock points for is the, in my opinion, unnecessary depiction of violence. Apart from that, I really like Rachel Caine’s straightforward, no-nonsense style. Just like Gwen Proctor herself!

(Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for providing me with this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.)

I read book 1 in this series over the summer as an Amazon First or whatever it was called then. I think the program was recently renamed. They select half a dozen books that are going to come out in the next month or so and give out free copies of one of them. The blurb/summary of Stillhouse Lake sounded interesting so I picked it. And then went around recommending it. I was looking forward to the sequel and thrilled when I got it a few weeks ago.

This was good. It seemed to wallow in horribleness of men a little more than I like, but didn't get too gory. The plot kept get me reading. Every time I'd have to put it down, I'd pick it up again a soon as I could.

Verdict - Recommended if you're looking for a mystery/suspense with a strong heroine and a little bit of an odd set up.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

*Beware of possible spoilers*

This book picks up where Stillhouse Lake left off. Gwen’s serial killer ex-husband has escaped prison and she has no doubt that he has her in his sights. She’s tired of hiding and she’s ready to do the hunting. She drops the kids off with Kezia and Javier and she and Sam go looking for Melvin. They have one goal in mind, take him out before he can harm anyone else, especially Connor and Lanny.

However, Gwen didn’t expect that Mel had already found a way to get to their son. He got a phone to him and Connor tried to fight it, but the temptation turned out to be too great. After talking to his father, Connor starts to second-guess everything he’s been told these last several years. He starts to wonder if his dad really could be a good guy after all.

Absalom has been busy sending Gwen on a goose chase that puts her right where they want her. And, not only that, but they have manufactured some fake videos that look real. Videos that show Gwen helping Mel with his victims. And, when others see them, she loses everyone she loves. There is nothing more dangerous than someone with nothing to lose. She’ll do whatever it takes to protect her kids, even if it means sacrificing herself to do so.

I absolutely loved the first book in the series. Stillhouse Lake, and was thrilled to see there was a sequel. Unfortunately, this book was kind of a disappointment for me. The story wasn’t bad, but it didn’t hold a candle to Stillhouse Lake. It’s an unfortunate downfall to sequels sometimes.

We got to see most of the characters from the previous book, but it just wasn’t the same. This book just flowed slower. There was a nice twisty plot, but one that can easily be figured out before the big reveal. Also, Gwen seemed to be betrayed at every turn. I was pretty disappointed with some of Sam’s actions in this book. He tried to make it up to her, but honestly, if I was her I don’t think I could forgive him, despite her plan at that point.

We do get a conclusion to this story so I think this short series is most likely over, which may be for the best. I do plan to read more from this author in the future though. This wasn’t her best work, but I now know what she’s capable of.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

This was a satisfying sequel to Stillhouse Lake.

In Stillhouse Lake, I felt the tension coming from the outside, this feeling like someone out there was closing in on the narrator and her family. It was one of the best thrillers I’d read in a while, I found it very unsettling.

The change to four points of view instead of just Gwen made the tension feel like the threats were closer. There were plenty of threats out there but the distrust amongst the narrators and their isolation because of it was very effective. At times I found myself questioning Gwen’s reliability, along with everyone else.

The story mostly wraps up so I’m curious as to where the third installment will go. Given how satisfying the first two books were, I’ll definitely look forward to reading the third.

Thank you so much to Amazon Publishing for providing me with a free copy of 'Killman Creek' in exchange for my honest review! All opinions are my own.
I can't talk about this book without first mentioning the book that came before it, Stillhouse Lake. In that first book of this series, Gwen Proctor is running from a horrific past, one in which her ex-husband is discovered to be a brutal serial killer. He never seemed evil on the outside and had everyone fooled, but when an accident exposes his secret "kill room", Melvin is hauled off to jail. Even though that should be the end of the horror for Gwen, it is only the beginning. Internet trolls spew out constant hate mail and conspiracy theories about how she must have known what was going on or that Gwen was even helping Melvin kill. This is what causes her to run and stay on the move for her safety and the safety of her children.
That leads into the second novel, Killman Creek, and now Gwen is done running. Now, she is hunting. Her ex-husband has escaped from prison and she knows the only way to end things once and for all is to find him and kill him. In her search to find him, her and Sam Cade, a brother of one of Melvin's victims, start uncovering more about Absolom, the dark web entity that helped Melvin keep tract of Gwen while he was in prison. Together, they are determined to bring down Melvin and the group of people who helped him. The more secrets they find, the more horrific and evil Melvin and his helpers are discovered to be.
The first book was told solely from Gwen's point of view. I loved reading about her metamorphosis from cowering, simple wife to the strong fighter she becomes. I like her character because she seems as real as someone in her situation could be. She made mistakes and got mad at herself for it. She isn't some untouchable warrior and she knows it. In Killman Creek, the story is told in alternating view points including Gwen, Sam and each of her two children, Conner and Lanny. I really liked the switch in POV's because it built the story up even more. We get to see the inner struggle that her kids are dealing with in such a scary situation. I also felt like the first book was laying the ground work for Killman Creek, which is darker, more evil, and more intense. Killman Creek was so fierce and a page turner from start to finish! I am hearing that a third book is coming and if it is, I can't wait! These two books are probably the best thrillers I have read all year! Five stars!!

Loved this series by Rachel Caine. I hope she writes more like this. Stillhouse Lake was heart pounding! Killman Creek did not disappoint. In this second book we get to read from not only Gwen's point of view but also her children's, this gave the story a good amount of depth in my opinion. There were still lots of twists and turns and again an ending I couldn't predict. With all that being said a solid 5 stars. I really enjoyed this series!

Super super SUPER enjoyed this book! Rachel Caine is one of my new favorite thriller authors-- just gripping and rapid fast timeline, tight dialog, lots of suspense. I'm with it!

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of KILLMAN CREEK by Rachel Caine in exchange for my honest review***

2.5 STARS

Gwen is on the run from her serial killer ex husband Melvin. With her, Sam, whose sister was one of Melvin’s victims. Her kids Lanny and Connor are safely hidden with friends. For now.

Told from Gwen’s, Sam’s, Lanny’s and Connor’s points of view everybody is telling big and little lies. While Sam and Gwen hunt for Melvin, he’s looking for them and Gwen’s participation in the murders is once again in question.

I enjoyed KILLMAN CREEK, the second and final book in the STILLHOUSE LAKE series, more than the first. While much of the unrealistic plot required suspension of disbelief, the story kept me interested.

KILLMAN CREEK is a mostly forgettable and unbelievable story, although better than the first.

Warning: this review will obviously contain spoilers for the first book, because this is the sequel. What are you doing here? Go read the first one. Geez.

Action-packed but emotional, this is basically the sequel I was expecting after reading the first one. I liked the first book a little more, maybe because I felt more connected to the characters because they were all together. In this story, Gwen is separate from her children... this time, willingly. When she was in prison fighting to prove her innocence in connection to her husband's crimes, she had no choice. This time, she's made her own choice... she's sick of being prey. She wants to be the hunter. Her husband is on the run after escaping prison. She wants to bring him to justice... though that might not mean prison. He escaped once, he can do it again. Infamous, he has followers and helpers all over the country. She's sick of running, tired of uprooting her children and being a constant source of disappointment. They will only feel safe when Melvin, sadistic serial killer and her ex-husband, is gone.

She leaves her two kids with two friends of the family, both strong individuals willing to help. Though it's important that they stay inside and remain unseen to stay safe, they quickly go stir-crazy. They're both still young, and their lives are endlessly complicated.

With help from Sam, who is almost as determined to find Melvin as Gwen is, having lost his sister to this monster, can Gwen find Melvin before he finds their children or her? At times pulse-pounding and nerve-racking, this is a quick and enjoyable read. Though it has no blurb yet, there will be some kind of follow-up. Count me in! I'm giving this one a 3.5 rounded up to a 4, mostly because I didn't feel quite as emotionally connected to it as the first. Still a solid story.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

KILLMAN CREEK by Rachel Caine - I read the first book, Stillhouse Lake, earlier this year and loved it! So needless to say I had to get my hands on a copy of the sequel! Thank you so much to the author and Amazon Publishing for providing me a free advance copy - all opinions are my own.

Summary:

Gwen and her two children thought they were safe until they realize her ex-husband, and serial killer, Melvin Royal escaped from prison and is now on the run looking for his family. They have to leave Stillhouse Lake, which was the closest they’ve felt to a home in a long time. Tired of hiding, Gwen decides to entrust the care of her children to a friend so she can focus on tracking down Melvin before he finds her. Gwen recruits Sam Cade, the brother to one of Melvin’s last victims, so they can hunt him down before he can strike again. But what Gwen finds is beyond anything she could imagine...

“Melvin Royal stalks me in the brief darkness when I close my eyes. Blink, and he’s on the street. Blink, and he’s walking up the stairs to the motel to the second floor’s open walkway. Blink, and he’s outside the door. Listening.”

My Review:

I was hooked from the second I started reading this chilling sequel! Caine does an amazing job starting right where she left off at the end of Stillhouse Lake, and continues with more depth, emotion, and terror. Stillhouse Lake was told from Gwen’s point of view, and you felt the paranoia and fear she had for herself and her children as they tried to escape the past. In this book the point of view alternates between Gwen, Sam, and her two children. I rather enjoyed this change in writing style as it was interesting to see how Gwen is perceived from multiple perspectives.

This was a “read in one sitting” type of book - just like Stillhouse Lake but even better! It’s more of a thriller than a mystery and it included plenty of dark subject matter. Killman Creek is a gripping story with a twisty plot, and a nicely wrapped-up ending! There are a few indications that there might be a third book...I really hope there is!