This is certainly not like anything like I've read before, the basis of the plot, and the idea is good. The story is written with changing first person perspective, which seems to be fashionable now, and I still don't like it. Why not write everything in third person; the author knows all anyway.
The book is well written and with excellent characters, and if you like action you will not be disappointed.

This picks up where the last book left off, with Gwen, Sam, and her kids still trying to live down the stigma of Gwen's ex being a serial killer. People still believe Gwen was his accomplice, and to escape that, she tries helping someone else in trouble. The book was, like the others in the series, a little slow at first, but once it got going it was hard to put down. I'm looking forward to more in this series, and seeing how everything plays out for the Procter family.

After living a nightmare for years, Gwen Proctor has struggled to leave it all in the past and find a normal life for her children. The Stillhouse Lake series has it all - a serial killer, internet trolls, and stalkers online as well as IRL. On top of all that, Gwen and her family live in the constant scrutiny of the media, their community, and the ever-present court of public opinion.

Having read and enjoyed the first two books of the series, which I found to be page-turning thrillers, I would recommend reading the series in order. I was very much looking forward to this next installment but have to admit it was a bit of a disappointment and I really had to push my way through. <i>Wolfhunter River </i> just didn’t seem to offer much that was new or exciting until the last chapters which held a few glimmers of what lies ahead for Gwen and her boyfriend, Sam. Felt like this was just checking in but I will continue to follow to see what lies ahead in Stillhouse Lake.


FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have been excitedly waiting for this book and could not wait to start reading. I was not disappointed. I could not swipe pages on my Kindle fast enough and read this straight through! After the events in the second book, I wondered where the author would be able to go with the main thread tying the books together, and she did a great job of creating a situation that will give her plenty of leeway for future novels. There was “hold onto your seat” action and a LOT of gut-tearing emotion. Both aspects are something the author has always done very well, and what will keep me coming back for future installments of the series. Another wild ride in a great series. If you want to know more about the book, visit my blog at firefliesandfreekicks.com. This review was written based on a pre-release digital ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

I was unsure of where this series was going after the last book, I kept asking myself, what could possibly happen to this family next? Well, my questions were answered. I loved this novel, I'm excited to see where the series continues and I think this was a great novel to set up a much wider series, and I feel like the series is taking a slight genre change, which I think might be refreshing.

I will definitely be picking this up for my library and will be adding new books in the series to my TBR!

E-arc provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Gwen Proctor is by far the most badass protagonist I’ve ever come across in a thriller. Given the hellish realities readers saw her face in the first two instillations of the Stillhouse Lake series, it’s no wonder that women in crisis situations are now calling upon Gwen for her expertise in outmaneuvering the kind of men everyone else would be too afraid to cross.

In Wolfhunter River, readers can expect more of what Caine’s fans loved in the first two novels: will they/won’t they relationship tension between Sam and Gwen, two kids tougher than any kid should ever have to be navigating impossible decisions, and action scenes that will have you wincing from the edge of your seat. It also delivers a different set of villains and different (but equally high) stakes. Don’t worry, though. Melvin’s still managing to wreak havoc from beyond the grave.

While the end of this novel is wrapped up neatly, it also made me think more Stillhouse Lake novels might be around the bend. Yes, please!

I'd give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars. It was gritty, compelling, and emotional but not quite as strong a showing as the first two novels. That said, I don't know how Caine could have managed to top them.

I liked this book but there was a lot going on. By the end, it seemed almost too much was packed in together. There is a lot of background but it is explained enough throughout the story that not reading the first two books does not make this one that hard to follow.

Gwen is trying to escape her past. Her ex-husband was a serial killer and a good number of people believe she is at least partially responsible for his crimes. While she is trying to keep her family safe, for some reason she decides to appear on television and get involved in the dangerous situations of others. It was a stretch to believe that the characters would have taken some of the actions they did and it was a stretch to believe any small town could be as messed up as Wolfhunter turned out to be.

Oh, and there is a kidnapping in there, too.

I am newer to this series and did not read the first 2, but I jumped right in and loved this book. I will be picking up the first 2 hopefully this weekend.

This is a great series to binge read and would be the perfect series for a spring or summer vacation.

To me these books read almost like films, I can see this book as a film and see the characters up on the big screen. This book was the most cinematic to me, probably because there’s a lot of action and discussion compared to inner dialogue.

I really liked the direction this book took the series, and how it solidified some character relationships and stances on certain topics. I also liked that there was less about the Internet Trolls and more about an actual case that was taking place in a shady town.

Seeing a case that wasn’t directly related to Gwen was an interesting twist. In the previous books the main focus has been Gwen’s past and her ex-husband, but in this one the story takes us outside of all of that and Gwen is called to help a young girl whose mother was killed and the local police are blaming her for the crime.

I enjoyed watching Gwen and Sam put the pieces together to try and solve the mysteries, while also dealing with their own secrets and pasts. I would have liked it if the story focused a bit more on the two secondary mysteries more, over the main murder.

The ending was especially promising, I had read that there was a to be a book 4 and knowing that going into book 3 made it that much sweeter. I am definitely looking forward to more with Gwen in a new role and seeing a potential spin-off series would be very cool too.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries and thrillers centered around individuals working to solve a case, often with push back from local police. This is a good read for anyone who enjoyed the previous series installments, and for those that like strong lead women, supporting men, and stories filled with tension and twists.

Wolfhunter River
(Stillhouse Lake #3)
by Rachel Caine

Kindle Edition, 330 pages
Published April 23rd 2019 by Thomas & Mercer



Goodreads synopsis:
Rachel Caine is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Charts bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including the Stillhouse Lake series and the New York Times bestselling Morganville Vampires series.


***

5 Stars

I have to admit this is not as intense and in your face as books one and two. But this one is still a great addition to the series.

Goodreads doesn’t really give a synopsis so here it is in a nutshell:

Gwen is convinced to go onto a reliable tv program to plead her case and show her point of view. But the whole thing backfires and she is ambushed by one of the rich mother’s of one of Melvin’s victims. And not only ambushed but this lady is making a documentary about Gwen’s life and the whole debacle. But this lady intends to paint Gwen as monstrous as her ex-husband, Melvin, the serial killer. Not long after she gets used to the fact these documentary people are in town she discovers someone has put her phone number on the internet for the assistance in helping battered and abused women in danger. Gwen and family are drawn into a hell hole of peril and jeopardy they don’t expect.

And it goes on from there.

I am giving this five stars because this is awesome. Not as intense and thrilling as books one and two but it holds its own. There is an odd transition between when the documentary people arrive in town and Gwen deciding to help this girl in Wolfhunter River. This town is all kinds of messed up. I actually hope there are no real towns like it. Super scary.

Even more revelations are divulged about Sam Cade. And these threaten to disrupt the lives of them all. This is hair-raising and petrifying and I am not sure anyone will come out mentally coherent. There will have to be lots of therapy to overcome stuff like this and I am horrified just reading about it. I can’t imagine how hard it was to write it. To live with the characters and these situations day after day. I applaud the author for her intention to write something that comes off as so real and authentic. How does Caine not have nightmare at night writing this stuff?

Great books three to the series. I hear there might be a fourth book in the works and I wonder where in the world it could go from here.

An intense and awesome psychological thriller series unlike any other. Read it and be in awe!


I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Unfortunately, I think, it's the weakest book in the series so far.

I still find the initial set-up for the series quite interesting. Gwen Proctor, the ex-wife of serial killer Melvin Royal, gets stalked by internet trolls who are convinced she’s been his partner in crime and that she got away with it unpunished. The constant harassmant is not limited to the online world though and Gwen has to protect her two children from some very real threats. She changes her identity and moves to Stillhouse Lake. But trouble is following her. And Melvin, who’s on death row, is also not so happy with how things turned out and he has his own plans for his former wife.

Stillhouse Lake worked really well as the setting for a suspenseful and sometimes creepy first book, before in Killman Creek it got dark and sick and disturbing. I enjoyed both books. Though I think the whole story had been told and came to a satisfying conclusion with the second book.

Clearly the author thought differently. And in all fairness, I picked up the book, so ... yeah.

We are thrown back into the life of Gwen Proctor, who still has trouble with all sorts of people. And things get worse when the mother of one of Melvin’s victims shows up and wants to film a documentary about the whole case and in the process prove that Gwen isn’t innocent at all.

Gwen meanwhile has taken to some sort of help hotline role. People that are in detrimental relationships call her and ask for advice. One day a woman calls who seems to be seriously concerned about her safety. She doesn’t disclose why exactly that is and asks Gwen to come to Wolfhunter River to talk to her. Because of the vague nature of that phone call Gwen suspects a potential ploy by one of her stalkers. A little bit of spoilery stuff happens and Gwen receives another call, this time from the daughter of that woman. While that call makes it pretty clear that the situation has worsened, the daughter too remains wishy-washy about what the actual threat is. Nevertheless Gwen, in a move that’s somewhat out of character, decides to go after it. Maybe she just thinks she doesn’t have enough trouble in her own life already? Knowing Gwen, I had to suspend disbelief a little here.

In Wolfhunter River all sorts of things are wrong and sure enough the whole town seems to turn against Gwen and her family. The almost universal hate towards the main character, her two kids and her boyfriend Sam feels a little forced at this point in the series.

There are enough other things that make Wolfhunter River a shady place. But we only get a few glimpses of that, as the book for most of the time is focused on Gwen’s frail relationship with Sam and the latter coming to terms with him being an ersatz father for the kids.

It doesn’t work very well. Because neither Gwen nor Sam - as characters - have progressed that much since the first book. Gwen still can’t seem to decide if she’s a scared and vulnerable mother or a hardened by life kick ass heroine. And she also spends way too much time contemplating this herself. I’m afraid, it’s gotten quite tedious by now.

Sam in general doesn’t work well for me as a character. He constantly shifts between insecure/damaged boyfriend and merciless ex-soldier. Not being convincing in either of those roles.

And frankly, after all they’ve gone through together I think by now they should have made up their mind whether they trust each other or not and if they want to stay together or go their separate ways. I think this part of the story, by the end of the second book, had run its course. But I'm wrong. Obviously. The struggle very much continues.

The actual plot about child-abduction, murder, corruption and some sort of cult only gathers some momentum in the last 20% of the novel and felt cramped in a much too small space and also a little far-fetched here and there.

The epilogue sets up the series for some much needed change. But I’m not sure if I’m still on board now. I should have probably stopped after the second book. Maybe the author should have done the same? Only time will tell.

Wolfhunter River is the third book in the rather creepy Stillhouse Lake series, and whilst Ms Caine cleverly lulls you into a false sense of security by beginning in a slow and steady manner it suddenly evolves into a totally different beast altogether. The setting is the ominous and mysterious remote hunting town of Wolfhunter River, Tennessee and from the chilling and menacingly intense atmosphere down to the twists in the tale, the story is told with the author's usual aplomb. This is a deliciously dark fable and one which is so easy to pick up but virtually impossible to put down.

After the meandering beginning the pace lifts, the plot becomes multifaceted and complex and you struggle to establish just who can be trusted. To top it all off the diverse cast and exploration of current societal issues are broached with both grit and sensitivity and lends a realism missing from many thrillers. My bet is if you enjoyed the previous two novels that you'll love this just as much. I must say, though, that I thought this was the best to date. Roll on the next one - Bitter Falls - due to be published in January 2020. I simply can't get enough of this suspenseful series. Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for an ARC.

I read the first two books of this series and was blown away. In fact when anyone asks me to recommend a thriller novel, Stillhouse Lake is my go to recommendation. I’ve gotten my friend and coworker to both read this series and they love it. I was curious to see how this book would add up since the plot line appeared to be tied up in the second book. Well though i didn’t enjoy it as much as the other two books, it is still a worthy installment. I think to understand the main character Gwen, you will need to have read the other books.. I think the author might develop the main character to further the series and I would be intrigued by it. Overall I would rate this book as 4 based on the strong writing and character development. I will definitely read another series by Rachel Caine in the future.

With all that transpired in book two, I was really curious where else this story could go. How Caine would carry the rest of the story line and more importantly, what other horrors could possible be in store for Gwen and her children.

I didn't have anything to worry about, Caine more than made not only this story entertaining, but it's own story separate from the others and yet, not at all separate. We still get Marvin torturing them all in only a way he could and yet there is a new mystery that makes the story line entirely new and fresh as well.
Throw in crazy stalkers, Marvin's fans, and obsessed family members of the victims and you have one heck of a story that is not only easy to fall right back into but completely enjoyable.

Not only were the characters more fleshed out but other things were revealed as well about them, their past and of course the horror that will always remain with them of what Marvin did and continues to do to them when it shouldn't even be possible.

All in all, a very pleasing, very entertaining read that kept me interested and turning the pages.

There is trouble in Wolfhunter River, Tennessee. Young women are disappearing and the police are making little progress in their investigation. At the end of a terrible day, Gwen Proctor receives a cryptic call from a Wolfhunter River resident. The woman is requesting Gwen come to Wolfhunter River, but will not provide any details. Initially Gwen believes the call may be a trap laid by her enemies but a few days later she receives another call from Wolfhunter River. Although Gwen is under an extreme amount of stress, she packs up her family and heads to Wolfhunter River. Upon their arrival Gwen realizes she may have jumped from the pot into the fire.

Wolfhunter River is the third book of The Stillhouse Lake Series. In the first book of the series Stillhouse Lake, we meet Gwen Proctor, ex-wife of notorious serial killer Melvin Royal. Gwen and her children are on the run from the families of Melvin’s victims, internet trolls, and vigilante groups. Book two of the series, Killman Creek offered a conclusion to Gwen’s story but left me wanting more. I was so happy to learn a third book was in the works and Gwen’s story would continue. However I was wondering where Caine could go with Gwen’s story. In Wolfhunter River, Gwen and her family begin a new journey; they have been transformed from victims to avengers.

Gwen has spent years trying to outrun her husband, his followers, and the families of her husband’s victims. She is hyper aware of the consistent target on her and her children’s backs. In Wolfhunter River, Gwen discovers there are many more monsters in the world; not just the ones she is trying to outrun. In Wolfhunter River, I believe Gwen learns she is not at the center of every battle. I am not saying that Gwen is self-centered, she is quite the opposite. However she carries a lot of guilt and shame, believing she is the cause of grief for the ones she loves. When Gwen makes this discovery, I can visualize the weight coming off her shoulders. Now that she has been relieved of this guilt she can begin to move forward with her life.

Many kudos to Caine for creating such a diverse cast of characters. In each book of The Stillhouse Lake Series, Caine features African-Americans and Latinos in key roles. The diverse cast gives the series a realistic and relatable touch. Caine touches on the opioid epidemic which has affected many small towns across the country and social issues concerning our justice system. These touchy subjects are addressed with tact and sensitivity.

Wolfhunter River marks a turning point for Gwen and her family. They are coming out of the shadows. Each with a new purpose, aware of the past but looking forward to the future. I am very excited to see what the future holds for Gwen. Readers looking for a high octane read full of heart should add Wolfhunter River to their list of must reads.

** Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for my free review copy of Wolfhunter River**

Murder and Moore Rating :
5 out of 5 Stars

I took a chance in reading 'Wolfhunter River' knowing that i hadn't read the first couple of books in the series, but on this occasion, i wished i had done so. I'm sure i would have connected with the book far more than i did! However, the story kept my interest and shall be reading the first two books in the near future.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review.

**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

First of all, I am a HUGE fan of the first two Stillhouse Lake books, so I was really excited to see more of Gwen, Sam, Lanny, and Connor. And while this book wasn't my favorite of the series, I think it nicely sets up what is to come with future books in the series.

A missing girl kidnapped from school, a small town where things and people go to die, and personal vendetta with major emotional consequences all take center stage in this thrilling third book in Caine's series.

I loved getting back into the pages with the characters of this book. Gwen is so kickbutt and momma bear, its fun to watch her navigate life, even when it falls apart time and again.

The writing style is wonderful and immersive and a perfect balance between action, thought, and consequence.

Where I struggled in this one was the pacing. The first half of the book felt so slow, I nearly put it down; however, after the 50% mark, everything happens at once and all the thrilling action sequences I hoped for delivered and then some. In my opinion, the second half more than made up for the first, so keep going if you hit that struggle bus :-)

If you liked the first two Stillhouse Lake books, I don't think you'll be disappointed with the second half of this book!!!

Oh, my gosh. This was dark, twisty, and at times improbable, but oh, so engrossing. A 4 star read. And there's even a happy-ish ending.

I loved the first two books in this series and could hardly wait for this one. Given the events, and the ending of book two, I wasn't sure where Caine would go and what she'd do. A quick note: this would not work well as a stand alone. You definitely need to read this series in order. It's suspenseful and twisty and full of surprises and you need a score card to keep track of the players and where they fall on the good, bad, and in-between spectrum.

The town of Wolfhunter falls squarely in the bad department. It was over the top at times and stretched credulity but Caine made it work. Also over the top was the sheer number of bad guys. Seriously, you want a score card. New characters, returning characters, Caine makes them all pop.

The focus this time around is less on Gwen and her and her family's problems, though they certainly exist, and more on several mysteries set in and around Wolfhunter. There were a lot of threads but Caine weaves them all together into a cohesive, and tense, story. Gwen and family are in transition. Her ex is gone but not all of his acolytes are. They are trying to navigate their way into their new lives, but the past isn't completely done with them yet. One change is that Gwen is trying to use her experiences and painfully learned lessons to help others. It's that desire to help that leads her to Wolfhunter.

I read the story twice and even though I knew what to expect the second time around, I still held my breath in anticipation and fear. My heart broke several times during the story but I also had moments of delight. The kids, Lanny and Connor, have grown and changed, and while they are by no means perfect, they are great kids. Gwen, and later Sam, have done a fantastic job raising them and guiding them through the insanity and pressure of their lives. And Sam. Oh, Sam. His past blew up in his face and it's Gwen and the kids who have to deal with the wreckage, not just Sam. I felt sorry for him and I was angry at him.

"Wolfhunter River" was a dark story, full of violence, grief, and despair, but there was hope too, and so much love; fierce, determined, go to the ends of the earth love. And the ending, while not quite an HEA, was full of hope and positive change. And it's not the end. Caine announced in a recent newsletter that there will be a fourth book, "Bitter Falls" in early 2020. I'll be counting down the days. If you like enthralling, surprising, complex suspense stories with complex, fascinating characters, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. But read the preceding books first.

Third book in the Stillhouse Lake series, and once again it does not disappoint! I think Rachel Caine has me sold on her talent to write fast-paced, heart-pounding, action packed psychological thrillers. Yes, this book started slow, but oh man did it take a turn, and had me turning pages with my cheeks flushed from all the emotions. I just love Gwen and her kids! They are smart, courageous, intuitive, and so determined to get through all the obstacles in their way. The strong bond they share and the love for each other is a force to reckon with. Add Sam to the mix and there is nothing out there that will be able to defeat this team. I am definitely looking forward to the forth book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author, Rachel Caine, for giving me an opportunity to read this exhilarating book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this book, there was a lot of action in it, moreso than the other two.
I do think that you need to read the previous books to understand the process behind the family's turmoil.
I didn't think that this was as fluid as the previous 2 which blew me away, but it was good.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.