Member Reviews
I've really enjoyed all of Rachel Caine's novels in this series. While I enjoyed the previous two novels quite a bit more, I still had a lot of fun reading through this third installment in the series.
Gwen, Sam, Lanny, and Conner all have made a lasting impression on me. I love following them and hearing about what's new in their world. It seems that they will never reach that happy ending that Gwen so badly wants (and deserves) for herself and her children. There were quite a few intense scenes of action with vivid details, so I don't recommend it for the faint of heart. I personally love being up front and personal with the action of the story.
There were bits of this that were predictable, but overall I think it was a great bridge into the next installment in the series.
Goodreads Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2203220152
I loved the first in the series and was intrigued and very invested in continuing to follow along with the characters’ lives. This is the third installment and it did not disappoint. The characters are still great and have become more amazing. I loved the story line and can’t wait for the fourth in the series to be released.
This series is one that's an auto-buy for me. I love how original this series is and I find myself rooting for Gwen and her family. I can't get enough and I cannot wait for her next!
Oh my!! Can't say enough how much I liked this book. Highly recommend the series. Will be buying a copy for my shelves. 5 stars.
A Lot Going On Here
So much going underneath huge town cover up. Thrilling, suspenseful and engaging. Highly recommend this series. Rachel Caine definitely has a way with words.
This series is so addictive, I just don’t want it to end! Initially believing Stillhouse Lake to be a trilogy, I put off reading this third book for ages until I recently found out there will be a fourth installment incoming, which promptly motivated me to catch up (funny how that works).
Wolfhunter River by Rachel Caine takes readers back to the small Tennessee town of Stillhouse Lake following Gwen Proctor, formerly Gina Royal, as she tries to make a new life for herself and her children after finding out that her husband was a notorious serial killer. But even though it has been years since Gwen was cleared of being his accomplice, the family of some of Melvin Royal’s victims still refuse to believe she had nothing to do with his murders. In particular, the mother of one of the women he killed has been leading a harassment campaign against her, making Gwen’s life a living hell. Worse, now it appears there will be a documentary made about the women Melvin murdered, dashing all hopes of privacy for her and her family. Still, Gwen is determined to do her best to protect her daughter Lanni and her son Connor, shielding them from the worst of the harassment, both online and in the real world. But as it turns out, the threat might be even closer to home, as Gwen’s boyfriend Sam has plenty of secrets in his past that he wishes to keep hidden even as their relationship deepens.
One day, Gwen also receives a cryptic phone call from a frightened woman named Marlene Crockett who lives in the nearby town of Wolfhunter. At the time, Gwen is unable to offer much help while her situation in Stillhouse Lake is so uncertain, but not long afterward, Marlene ends up dead and the main suspect is her teenaged daughter. Feeling concern for the girl and a bit guilty for not having done more, Gwen decides to travel to Wolfhunter to investigate, bringing Sam and the kids along because of a sudden need for all of them to get out of town. But when they arrive, they discover a small community rotting at its core—a kidnapped child, women going missing, a police department rife with corruption. Just what the hell is going on in Wolfhunter?
For the first time in this series, the story shifts away from Melvin Royal, setting Gwen Proctor up to be a private investigator in her own right. She has now fully made her transition from the clueless housewife believing that her marriage was the perfect picture of domestic bliss, becoming a survivor who seeks out other vulnerable women to help as well as local small-town mysteries to solve. The transformation in her character has been astounding, to say the least; she’s had to start over again from nothing after discovering that most of her life had been a monstrous lie, managing to persevere in the face of a shock so terrible that it would have broken most people. Now she’s a vigilant and independent gun-toting badass single mom, and she’s like the mama bear who will stop at NOTHING to keep her children safe from harm. God, I love her.
This book also includes the POVs of Sam, Lanni, and Connor, which I really liked because it shows how the shadow cast by Melvin Royal has taken its toll on not only Gwen but her whole family, and anyone they get close to. Now that the kids are older, the experience has also changed them in deep-seated ways. We got to be in Lanni’s head briefly in the previous book, in a story thread that mostly dealt with her crush on a girl at school. But like Gwen, Lanni has come a long way; as she herself observed, back when she was a child, things seemed much easier and more removed—a testament to how well Gwen had protected her children—but it’s a different story now that she is fifteen years old. As such, Lanni’s chapters were my second favorite after Gwen’s because of their complex themes. Between dealing with her first real romance, taking on some of the duties of protecting her little brother, and also helping her mother with the investigation at Wolfhunter, Lanni provided a refreshingly unique and genuine voice that I would love to see carry through to the rest of the series.
The story was also exciting, if a little labored at certain points because you could tell Caine was striving hard to set Wolfhunter River apart from the first two books. For the most part, I think she succeeded, since this one has a different feel than the previous installments, though I can’t really put my finger on why. In some ways, the plot felt somewhat scattered, and had I not known there was another sequel coming out, I would have thought the author was struggling a bit to tie up all loose ends, but now I believe she was simply setting the scene up for more. Regardless, it worked out in the end, and the result is that Wolfhunter River is probably the most action-packed of all three books. On top of all the gun fights and car chases, this one also seemed to have the highest body count.
At the end of the day though, I’m thrilled that we will be getting to see these characters again because I’m not ready to say goodbye just yet. The ending perfectly sets the stage for what’s coming next, and I’m looking forward to returning to more Gwen Proctor and Stillhouse Lake.
The Stillhouse Lake series has a special place in my heart. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend reading these books! However I would suggest reading the series in order so you get to know the characters and see their strength and growth over time.
Wolfhunter River is the third installment in the series and I read it as a buddy read with Julie over at @juliemreads. This book was addictive, suspenseful, and had me on the edge of my seat. We had so much fun discussing this book together!
I wasn’t sure where Rachel Caine would take the series after the second book and she did not disappoint with this one. It only seemed right that she went in a different direction from the previous books. I’m looking forward to seeing what she has in store for book four!
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the copy of Wolfhunter River. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.
Thrilling story, great plot and characters that keep you guessing right til the end. Great for fans of this genre.
I enjoyed the Rachael Caine series up to this point. I liked the characters and there was good character development. I felt that with this book though they just went a bit far. It should have ended after Killman Creek. There were too many subplots in this book that were twisting a crazy web. The writing was still interesting but I could have done without reading. I figured at the end maybe they would do some type of spinoff series which could be interesting but I see there is a book 4 of the series coming out and I hope that one finally goes up everything in a nice little bow and doesn’t have so many subplots.
Having read the 1st two books in the series I’d been looking forward to reading this one. But sadly I felt they went to far. Should have given up after the 2nd book. This was one book to many sadly
This book is intense as is the whole series. The author created such believable characters that you really feel scared for them. Love the series!
While not as good as the first or second in this series, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed Rachel Caine's Wolfhunter River (#3 in the series). I have never been a fan of books in series because I typically get bored around book 3 or 4 and then never finish the complete series. When I read Stillhouse Lake, I didn't know it was the first book in a series, but then I saw there was a sequel and thought, well that's fine too. I liked that book also. Then a third came out, and to be honest, if there are more, I'm not sure I'll continue in the series, but this book surprised me - it was engaging and I read it quickly. I did the enjoy the journey this book took me on and the possibility of following another story arc for other books, but like I said - series just aren't my thing. While good, this could have ended with book number 2. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
If I could describe Wolfhunter River in one word, it would be suspenseful. It is so unnerving how addictive this read was. It was so consuming that I did not want to do anything else but read this book. I was on the verge of puking, my anxiety was through the roof and tears were definitely shed for my favorite character Sam Cade.
This is the 3rd novel in the Stillhouse Lake Series and it has been by far my favorite. Don't get me wrong I love that Gwen took her stand with her ex-husband in Killman Creek but I love how this book exploited why and who were really after Gwen and the children. It was interesting to see how her ex-husband Melvin was still sending them mail and packages from beyond the grave. And I knew the beloved Sam had played a role in plotting against Gwen at the beginning but it really intrigued me to see just how big his role actually was. Especially since he still decided to see the truth and the good in her. Caine provided the perfect twists and turns. She provided characters that you trusted and believed who turned out to be completely sinister and that is what I love reading about.
I am extremely excited for the 4th installment in the Stillhouse Lake Series called Bitter Falls. I am looking forward for more of Sam and Gwen's story because it's either going to be extremely fatal or a happily ever after. I have already pre-ordered it so I can have the complete series sitting on my shelves to be re-read whenever I need a good pick me up if ever I get in a reading slump.
If you have not read this series yet, please go purchase the books. You will not be disappointed.
I think this series needs to stop. How much more can this woman possibly endure? It's becoming more and more ludicrous that all this happens to and around her and I can't really enjoy the books anymore. Maybe the author could start a new series?
I'm fully committed and immersed in this series. I've pre-ordered the last 2 books, and currently have the next one pre-ordered...not so patiently waiting.
Gwen Proctor is being stalked by her dead ex-husband, Melvin Royal, his loyal followers, as well as everyone who believes that Gwen isn't innocent in the things that Melvin did to his victims. The family is never safe.
I love this series. It's fantastic. This was a NetGalley find for me back when Stillhouse Lake #1 came out. Die hard fan ever since.
This is another series I really love. I got an ARC for the third book (Wolfhunter River) and just recently finished it. I recommend these to anyone who asks for a good psychological thriller! I love Gwen and the strength she portrays for herself and her kids. The sacrifices she makes for their safety and the determination of a mother keeps me hooked on these books!
This book has me intrigued for the next book. However, this one was pretty slow and not very interesting until the very end. I hope the next book will be faster paced.
The book I was most anticipating as I LOVED the first 2 in the series. Although, I felt it could have ended at the 2nd book, this one did end pretty well. I am going to miss this series and the characters. This series really just immersed me and I did not want to stop reading. It is that addicting! I recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who loves this genre. I look forward to more by this author.
Read the first books in this series. Wolfhunter River met my expectations!
Its on my to request list for the library and to advise for patrons to read.
Book is a fast read but is not a standalone book of the series.
I absolutely love the series by Rachel Caine but I have to say this one was my least favorite. The first ones I couldn’t put down and I was absolutely obsessed with each character and having to find out what would happen next. In my humble opinion it would have sufficed at two books. With that said, I am such a fan and fighter for Gwen and she didn’t fail to come through as her hero self. It was an enjoyable read but it just seemed to make me drag my eyes to get through and started with it compared to the others.
Thanks to. Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced copy to read.