Full review to be published online in late April.

WOLFHUNTER RIVER is the third book in Rachel Caine’s suspense thriller series ‘Stillhouse Lake’. The author is well known for her Urban Fantasy, and has now taken on the thriller genre, achieving mixed results. The first half of the book contained a great deal of exposition and backstory designed to catch a new reader up on past events in the series and the life of the protagonist; but for those of us who read the first two books, it was far too much retreading of familiar ground,

The second half of the story is where WOLFHUNTER RIVER breaks out in full glory. Once Gwen arrives in town and begins to investigate the murder and mystery surrounding it, the plotline clicks into place and shines. Very twist/turny psychological thriller.

Recommend read, but probably best to tackle the first two books before attempting this one. Caine still does UF better.

Thank you for putting this up, Netgalley! I wanted it in my hands as soon as possible!
I’m kind of sad the ride’s over, but it ended in the best possible way.

Wolfhunter River felt like high octane, dialed up to 10, for the ENTIRE BOOK. It started hitting and did not stop. It did all this in a good way; it never felt overblown, action for action’s sake, but that this was realistically what would’ve gone down in this situation.

Driving the plot: I’ve always felt this series was unique from other ‘thrillers’ or similar genre types, because of the unique action scenes – and that most of it is done by women, on behalf of women. This trilogy has taken women from a status of reduced-to-victims by Melvin Royal at first, to the hero(in)es of the story.

“Get your damn hands off my kids!” she shouts, and she spins around, still flat on her back, and kicks Mr. Sparks from behind. Not in the ass, like I would have, but right up between his braced legs. She kicks him like she means to score a field goal.”

Characters: The major players in this last book were all female – from Gwen, to a missing girl who spurs on the plot, to a grieving mother of one of Melvin’s victims, who is out for revenge against anyone. Gwen was an amazing protagonist from start to finish, and even her kids are impressive by book two and three. Add in Cute Sam, as I call him in my head, and you’ve got this awesome family unit of badasses, where everyone had a part to play in resolving the plot of this last book – threats on all sides, basically.

Setting: Hoo boy. If I was wary of the American rural south before…This book makes Tennessee seem terrifying, I’ll be honest, but really, any conservative region/county/town/space in America could be Wolfhunter River, where the police are on shady payrolls, high-up men in the social hierarchy have disturbing cult compounds, and women are disregarded at best and abused horrifically at worst. The misogyny presented throughout the series is, well, plausible, and very reminiscent of what women experience in our daily lives. We’re not all murdered or kept in dungeons, but still. There are throwaway remarks throughout that just..hit home. Rachel even threw in some subtle remarks about the Trump administration and current American affairs, and I enjoyed that a lot. This series I could very well see happening in real life - even if I hope it hasn't.

“Killing a cop’s bad enough, but killing a small-town cop in a town that thinks of the Civil War as being waged last week? Only way it gets worse for you is if you’re black. Which you’re lucky you’re not.”

“Three women went missing,” he says. I like that he’s so particular about his nouns; even at his age, he’s not falling into the trap of calling adult women girls, or worse, females.”

Final thoughts on the ending: I appreciate that there is a – well, if not a jumping-for-joy ending (which would hardly be believable with all of the traumatic experiences these characters have been through) not a terrible one either. Gwen Proctor’s situation was iffy at best this whole time, and you can’t eliminate something like a serial killer’s nationwide following, taunting via the internet, letters, and even in person - in three relatively-short books. So the ending was realistic and great, in my opinion, and kept around everyone who should’ve been kept around.

Rachel’s playlist at the end is fantastic, and I have copied it all onto my spotify now, so further kudos there?

I enjoyed this installment a lot. It was fast paced and intense. I like Gwen and Sam. I think Lanny is my favorite and Connor was okay in this one. I felt like this could be the end of the trilogy or it could be the start of a new chapter in Gwen's life. I am very interested in seeing what happens next.

What a riveting, heart-pounding adrenalin rush! My heart and head are still spinning and reeling as I try to come to grips with this story days after finishing it. Wolfhunter River, the third book in Caine's Stillhouse Lake series, is INTENSE and that's putting it mildly. You'll need to suit up and strap in for this one! I highly advise you read the first two books before venturing into this minefield of suspense and then enter at your own risk, but be prepared to maneuver the many twists and turns and shockers that threaten to bury readers and characters. While the author does an amazing job of weaving backstory into Wolfhunter River, you're going to want to get up close and personal with the complex cast and storyline before starting this one. And please . . . PLEASE avoid all spoilers!

As Wolfhunter River opens, Gwen, Sam, Lanny, and Connor are settling into a seemingly more normal life on Stillhouse Lake. While ghosts from their past still haunt them, they're relaxing their guard and cracking the door on a brighter future. Unfortunately, the past refuses to stay buried as evil reaches out from the grave to harass and terrorize them yet again. At the same time, Gwen receives a call for help from a terrified, desperate mother in the little one-horse town of Wolfhunter. When said woman turns up dead, Gwen, Sam, and the children drop everything to answer a plea from the woman's disturbed daughter - traveling to Wolfhunter to investigate and quickly falling prey to unknown dark forces themselves. Something is very wrong in this small, secluded, ill-boding town, and someone is willing to kill to keep it hidden. The story that unfolds is a dark, riveting, on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller, delivering blow after blow to these characters. Told from multiple points of view, layers are peeled back and buried secrets exposed. No one is safe as the repercussions of past betrayals explode and spread like a contagious virus, threatening each of them. Who will be left standing when it's all over? Will they stand together . . . or apart?

Rachel Caine weaves an intricate, complex tapestry of dark, menacing plot lines throughout Wolfhunter River, leaving characters and readers reeling time and time again. The fast paced action is virtually non-stop. There came a time later in the story when I felt like the colliding plot lines and continuous revelations and punches came close to being a little too over-the-top . . . almost entering unbelievable territory. And yet, I couldn't stop reading as I burned through the pages to find out how it would all turn out. I enjoyed the character growth we see in this one, especially from the children, Lanny and Connor, who add so much dimension to this story, and I loved delving into Sam's background as readers learn how his secret past influenced these characters' present lives and how it overshadows their future. As always, the setting is a major player as it flows menacingly and flawlessly throughout. As in previous books, Wolfhunter River continues the study of the power of evil, and its ability to spread like wildfire consuming and destroying everyone in its path. Definitely fuel for thought. The author uses a twist in this story as a nice setup for what could be a new direction in Gwen's future. I can't wait to see when/if she goes there. All in all, Wolfhunter River is another insanely complex, frenzied, action-packed Must Read in this highly addictive series! I'm giddy from anticipation for the next one!

A simple interview they said. A way to get your ability to clear yourself they said. A way to let the people see the real you, not the killer some think you are they said. They lied. Welcome to the third book in the Stillhouse Lake series.

Because of the TV show and the fact that they included in the interview, Miranda Tidewell, a mother who lost a daughter to Gwen's former serial killer husband, Melvin Royal, the world it seems is once again alerted, and Gwen and her children are again in the eye of a storm. Miranda had also set up a group of modern day vigilantes who believe in Gwen's complicity in her husband's crimes. Gwen becomes a target and so are her beloved children.

Poor Gwen Proctor, never to be forgiven for once being married to a serial killer. She and her children, who she fiercely defends, are drawn into a land of fright and terror, after she receives a phone call from a woman and her daughter terrified of what they seem to know, living in Wolfhunter River. There is something strange but also something alluring in the women's plea and it draws Gwen, Lanny, Connor and her boyfriend, Sam, (the brother of one of the victims of Melvin Royal), into a place that seems to be imbued with evil.

Because of the nature of the phone call she received, Gwen, her children, and Sam journey to Wolfhunter River, searching for answers, so willing to help. However, there are nasty things running through Wolfhunter River and as happenings become more dangerous, Gwen is called to look into herself and her relationships, especially that with Sam. It becomes a game of who do you trust and this game has deadly occurrences.

The Stillhouse Lake series has been a winner for me. It does hold your attention and provide a wonderful amount of thrills and chills. This book was not the strongest of the series, but it again shows the allure and charisma Rachel Caine has created in the Stillhouse Lake series. I recommend that you read this series from its start for it is one those who so enjoy well done thrillers will find enticing.

Thank you to Rachel Caine, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a copy of this thriller.
This book is due to be published on April 23, 2019

Thank you Rachel Caine and Netgalley for an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.
This is the third book in the Stillhouse Lake series by Rachel Caine. She does not disappoint. Although this story could be read as a stand alone, it really builds on the previous two installments. Gwen Proctor's ex-husband was a serial killer and has made his family's life miserable since he was caught. The victims' families believe that Gwen helped her husband lure and kill his victims. They have made it their mission to torment Gwen. In this installment, the torment continues in the form of a documentary made by the mother of one of the victims. What Gwen doesn't know is that someone very close to her was involved with this mother and may have been the one to start the ball rolling on all the stalking and torment that has plagued her since her husband was captured. There is another storyline that weaves its way through this installment. Gwen received a call from a woman in nearby Wolfhunter River asking her for help because someone is going to kill her. because she knows too much. She doesn't give much more info but later hears from the woman's daughter that in fact, her mother was murdered and the daughter has been arrested for the killing. Gwen and the family go to Wolfhunter River to find out why she was contacted by this woman. What they fall into in the small town is nothing short of diabolical and dangerous. Will Gwen be able to find the answers to what happened to the mother and daughter? What does this have to do with missing women and children? Will her family survive this town? You will not be disappointed in this installment of Stillhouse Lake. Please Ms. Caine, keep the stories coming.

I really enjoyed the first two Stillhouse Lake, and I thought book 2 had a satisfying conclusion. At the time, I felt like I could be done with the series and it would be fine. But this book was too difficult to pass up.

Gwen is still dealing with crazy people who are positive she is complicit in the horrible deeds of her ex-husband. Sadly, as I watch current events, this kind of mass stupidity is very believable. Although this is an important aspect of this book, we also get a good mystery. Gwen receives a call from a woman who insists something is wrong and wants help, but won't provide any specifics. When the woman turns up dead, Gwen goes to the small town of Wolfhunter to investigate. I enjoyed discovering what was happening, and I also really like how Gwen, Sam, and especially the children have matured and developed.

This book would work as a stand-alone, but it would also spoil previous events in the series, so it'd be good to read the previous books first. Besides, they are exciting.

First of all, I loved the first two books in this series. I think the concept of the book itself was really smart and different. So many serial killer-focused thrillers are all about the victims and the killer himself, and I thought it was such a smart twist to approach from the side of his family. I liked this book a little less than the first two, as I think it was a bit of a clunky transition from being harassed by their husband/father, to getting involved in someone else's crisis. In addition, the sub-plot with the lawyer seemed a little over the top.

That having been said, Rachel Caine is a master at action and keeping her audience on the edge of their seats. I thought this story in particular was a very quick, fast-paced read. I really feel for the characters, and Caine is an expert at really getting her readers to feel the plight of Gwen and her family.

Definitely a book worth picking up - especially if you enjoyed the first two of the trilogy!

Thank you so much to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book. I did a happy dance when I was approved to review :)

I have loved this whole series and couldn’t wait to get into this story. I was definitely not disappointed! This one follows Gwen through some pretty wild and crazy circumstances. Throughout the whole series the story line has never once lacked excitement or suspense. In this installment we get a deeper (and somewhat surprising) look into Sam and how he ultimately came I to the lives of the Proctors. When his past collides with their current predicament, we get spun I to a tale of lies, betrayal, and revenge. So. Good.

Thank You Net Galley for the chance to review Wolfhunter River by Rachel Caine, the 3rd in the Stillhouse Lake series.

This series has been a revelation coz we humans have a tendency to focus on the vile, so much that we forget the shadows of the monsters. Gwen Proctor, aka Gina Royal is the ex-wife to Melvin Royal the serial killer who has such long hands that he manages to terrorize his family even from the grave. Rachel Caine is an author who is on the pulse of the social media storm that seems to be the judge all and be all for every single thing out there be it true or false. The amount of fake news being spread, its horrendous and difficult to fathom for people who are actually being targeted in every form that the whole world mirrors a battlefield.

Gwen has fought her war and has managed to move on but there are still those that do not believe in her innocence and one of them a mother whoz lost her daughter to Melvin is out to destroy everything that she holds dear. The action shifts to another small town called Wolfhunter where even the air seems filled with darkness.
I loved how the author has managed to instill the terror and the paranoia not knowing whom to trust and how Sam, Lanny and Connor all pitch in, every way possible to win the war. Awesome work again! I had half a mind to let Gwen be, but after reading this superb thriller wouldn't mind reading more of the family adventures.

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Wolfhunter River is the final installment in Rachel Caine’s Stillhouse Lake trilogy. I had thought the series over with the second book, but Rachel still had another story to tell us with Gwen. It was an amazing and chilling mystery that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I love a good mystery and Rachel has proven time and again there’s nothing she can’t master at!

In this one we have Gwen dealing with the aftermath of a bad TV interview. She thought to tell her story about what happened with her ex-husband, Melvin Royal, but it turned into a witch hunt of sorts where she was being attacked by her husband’s crimes. One her biggest haters even comes onto the show with the nastiest surprise of them all.

Throughout this series I’ve had so much sympathy for poor Gwen and her children. They will always be judged by Melvin’s crimes and while I understand where some of the family members were coming from, we’re in Gwen’s perspective, so we can see that some of their actions were just unfounded and cruel.

It’s not long before Gwen receives a strange phone call from a woman she’s never met, Marlene. Marlene is very edgy about something and wants Gwen’s help but Gwen isn’t so quick to jump on thing, her past experiences have warned her against it. But the next thing she knows is that a few days later she gets another call, from a frantic young girl named Vee who says her mother has been murdered and Gwen’s phone number was in her phone’s history and she needs help. Vee is being accused of murdering her mother, but something tells Gwen that there is more to this that what meets the eye, or in this case, ear.

Gwen, Sam, and her kids soon find themselves going to Wolfhunter River, a very small town that has more secrets than you would think possible. As Gwen goes about trying to help Vee out and prove her innocence there are other darker forces at work. Women have gone missing from this little town, reports of a ghost car crash run rampant, and the news is filled with reports of the missing little girl who was kidnapped not too long ago.

My Scooby senses were tingling with all the mysteries in this one! I knew there had to be connections and whatnot but I’d be a terrible sleuth as I never really got the gist of what was going on. Though I was right to suspect one person! Lol. That is without a doubt my favorite part of a mystery read, trying to figure out the whodunit! I might not get the reasoning, but I’m usually pretty good at figuring out who the bad guy/gal is!

The pacing to this one was pretty ideal! It moves along at a nice pace. It starts out a little slow, but once we enter Wolfhunter, things move along at a faster pace. There’s danger at every turn and you truly don’t know who can be trusted in this book. The ending was also very ideal! It ends in a way that all mysteries should and I feel like we leave the characters in a good place. I do believe this is the final installment and I happy with where things were at. It’s right at the perfect place where you know the characters will be moving on towards their happy ever afters. Rachel Caine reigns supreme when it comes to writing fantastic books and I highly recommend checking out this mystery series of hers!


Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars


Wolfhunter River releases April 23, 2019

Honestly, I thought I saw the last of Gwen Proctor in Killman Creek. But here we are again, with a third installment of Stillhouse Lake, and what a book! I didn't really have high expectations of this one since, the longer the series tends to pull, the more it loses it charm. But Rachel Caines proven me soooo wrong!
Fast-paced, gripping and action-packed, this one was a real page-turner and had me reading well into the morning. I think I enjoyed this one more than Killman Creek. I enjoy how each of the characters are fleshed out and characterized so well. Fantastic work Rachel Caine, you're a star! Highly recommended series.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher & Rachel Caine for an arc.

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and Rachel Caine for my arc of Wolfhunter River in exchange for an honest review.


Spoiler warning: no spoilers for this book but some spoilers for the first two books in the series: Stillhouse Lake and Killman Creek where relevant for this review.

Synopsis: Gwen and her children have been through hell and back, after Gwen's husband Melvin was discovered to have been murdering and brutalising women in their garage, Gwen and her two children Lanny & Connor have been on the run, victims of cruel online hate campaigns targeting them and accusing Gwen of involvement with her husband's terrible crimes. But now with Melvin dead, and new love interest Sam involved, they're hoping to have some semblance of a normal life, and Gwen has promised the kids they can stop running. But of course nothing ever goes to plan, the parents of Melvin's victims start filming a documentary intending to expose Gwen as Melvin's assistant. Exposed to film cameras, unpleasantness and threats, it's time to leave. So when Gwen gets a call from a desperate woman over at Wolfhunter it seems like the perfect time to escape.

I love Rachel Caine's books, she is one of the only authors I've read who can write so many different genres and do it so well. This series is truly gripping, I got through this one in a matter of a couple of hours and I'm really hoping it's not the last one in this series. I love Gwen's feistiness and genuinely feel so sorry for her and her children and the way they're persecuted. I want to see them get their happy ending!

3rd in the Stillwater series and just as good as the 1st 2. I lean towards murder mystery and very little romance and Wolfhunter River gives me just that! I would suggest reading the first two before reading this

This is the 3rd book in the series and having previously read the first two I was looking forward to it, however I just didn't enjoy it as much.
I struggled to see how this book connected to the previous two and felt it was a little unbelievable.
Maybe as a stand along book it would be ok?

I LOVED Stillhouse Lake. I mean, really loved it, super excited when the sequel came out, why isn't this more popular kind of love. Killman Creek, the sequel, was still good, and I enjoyed it. However, Wolfhunter River just didn't do it for me. It felt like a trilogy that didn't really need to be a trilogy. The outlandish acts taking place in this tiny town seemed much too numerous considering the size of the actual town, and Gwen's bad ass "i'm gonna kill you" attitude started to grate. I understand why she is that way, but she's become one dimensional and stagnant. Her relationship with Sam has become the same way - not really progressing. There were a lot of things that could have been included in the book, such as more on the Lost Angels organization, Sam and Miranda's past, and some other things I don't want to spoil, but were extremely significant but rushed in the end. Based on some of the passages in the book, it's entirely possible that there will be another Stillhouse Lake book, and I'll definitely check it out, but I'm hoping for more this time around.

Gwen is back in her third book and is asked to help uncover the truth in Wolfhunter River. The book did not disappoint, it is full of action, deceit and murder.
This author does the suspense/thriller genre justice! Once I started the book I couldn't put it down. This title will keep you guessing at each turn of events and make you think to figure it all out. A great read!

Gwen is back!! This is the third installment in the Stillhouse Lake Series and another exceptional addition to this series. Gwen gets an ominous phone call from a lady in Wolfhunter River a small town with a lot of secrets. Gwen after learning the caller has been shot decides to investigate this small town with Sam, Lanny and Conner along for the ride. There are three mysteries going at once that keep the reader captivated to the stunning conclusions of all three mysteries. Love this series and love Gwen and looking forward to reading the next in this series. Highly recommend all the books in this series you will be just as captivated as I was but keep in mind a slow start to the book but it ramps up very quickly to be a page turner!

I have never lived in a small town and having read so many thrillers set in small towns, I think I will just stick to the cities. Traffic jams, pollution and muggers sounds way better than some of these small town characters in thrillers.

Gwen Proctor is back! I remember seeing this book on NetGalley’s, Read Now section and totally freaking out as I clicked download. I thought it was a glitch in the system and didn’t want to delay getting the book. Can you already tell just how much I like this series?

In this story, Gwen moves to Wolfhunter to respond to a distress call. However, she soon realizes that the small remote town is a pace of nightmares. The legal system is corrupted and twisted, vigilantes are running wild and they have guns. Most of the characters are dark and frankly, bat shit crazy. What is worse, they have some weird relations. Crazy cousins and siblings abound.

This book is more like the second one in terms of action. I loved the first book since it was more of psychological than action thriller. However, this one leans towards actions/suspense thrillers. This isn’t really a major issue but I’m not a huge fan of action whether it is movies or books, the bullets need to take a break. The strength of this story though lies in the character development. Gwen, Sam, Connor and Lanny are all well developed and I enjoy reading about them. Gwen’s background troubles her but it sure is entertaining to read about and definitely adds to the tension in the story.

Wolfhunter River is a great addition to the Stillhouse Lake series. I wasn’t too crazy about the amount of action but can’t deny that is was all entertaining. I also found the first chapters a bit slow but once Gwen got to Wolfhunter, I was completely hooked. I don’t know if this is the end of the series, I hope not because I would still like to read more about the Proctors.

After reading the first two books in the stillhouse lake series I was excited to see the third available on Netgalley! With Melvin now dead, I was curious what path the book would take and I was happy to see that it didn’t lose any momentum. It was nice to see Gwen putting the skills she needed to develop to survive her husband to use helping other people. Her children continued to surprise me with their fortitude, and it was nice to see them more grown up.
My only negative was that I thought the amount of death in the book was a little overboard. I know it’s a series about a murderer, but i think some of the deaths were for shock value rather than really adding to the story.
The way the book ended seemed to leave room for a 4th, and I hope it does because I am eager to hear more about Gwen and her family