Laura McHugh hasn't written a bad novel. Her characters are well developed and you can become attached to them quickly. I read this book in record time, as is customary with McHugh's novels. Her portrayal of rural life and the darkness and light that exists in that life is captivating. As someone who lives in such an area, it is easy to relate to the story.

Reminiscent of the television show Ozarks and the Langmore family dynamics. Sadie's brother is found dead but she suspects not all is as it seems. Henley is a cousin to Crystale, widow of Sadie's brother. Told from their perspective and at different time lines...The story slowly emerges and finally intersects with the truth emerging. Great story set in a small town.

Amazing! It was hard in the beginning to keep everybody straight and all of their connections (and it's important that you do keep track) and then to see how it all played out. McHugh definitely has a knack for writing great mysteries while invoking heavy themes for the reader to ponder. I hope she employs her talent in writing many books in the future (and soon!).

This book fell flat in so many ways for me. There are two alternating perspectives: Sadie, who is grieving the sudden death of her brother Shane, and Henley, a young girl fighting to escape her small town. The two voices were so similar that it was hard to tell them apart sometimes and this made the story feel too confusing. The two women's stories do intersect at one point, but it's a little late in the plot for it to have made an impact.

The other thing that was tough for me was that the timeframes jumped back and forth (seemingly for no reason). It was super hard for me to keep track of the through-line of the plot even though the month was given at the beginning of the chapter.

But perhaps the biggest drawback for the book was that there were still a few loose ends when the book was over. Not much was tied up neatly so I was just left really frustrated. I probably won't be checking out more of this author's work - it was just too hard for me to follow and didn't offer enough for me to stay engaged.

The Wolf Wants In is the first book I have read from this author and I was pleased with the storyline and how easy it flowed for me when reading it.

Her story is about Sadie wanting to know how her brother died. It appears Balckwater has many secrets.

Great mystery.

Though I’m very late to reviewing this one, I really enjoyed it! It kept me interested, and I would recommend it to anyone who dabbles in this genre.

One thing that I really enjoyed about The Wolf Wants In is that it kept me on my toes. I love the various perspectives of the characters, and how the story delves deep into each of their pasts and even their psyches. The twists and interconnecting worlds really make this story stand out.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during that 2nd attempt, I have only managed to make it halfway through so I'd rather stop here and state that this book just wasn't for me.

Hometown author! Atmospheric, emotional, and compelling. A story full of heartbreak and hope. Gritty and unique characters.

Did Not Finish. Thank you publisher and NetGalley for this early copy! I could not get into this thriller/fiction and decided not read it. Thank you!

The opioid crisis is far from my favorite subject for a novel, but there have been a number of very, very good mysteries that employ this as a central plot point, so I was willing to give this a try.

I have enjoyed McHugh’s other writing, and in that respect I wasn’t disappointed here either. Though the bleak atmosphere is a tough read, it’s incredibly well done and evocative in a way that is transporting.

Of course, that bleak atmosphere also makes the book feel stifling and oppressive, which in my experience can be overcome by a really, really good mystery. The Wolf Wants In almost got there, but ultimately, the depressing nature of the subject matter dwarfs the plot.

Michael Koryta’s How It Happened and Dervla McTiernan’s The Scholar are both examples of books that succeeded on that front. This one didn’t quite have the story or the character depth to pull that off.

When Sadie's brother Shane dies unexpectedly, she obsessively searches for answers. How can a 36 year old die of a heart attack? Why did his new wife not want an autopsy? Meanwhile, 19 year old Heather is desperate to get out of her small Kansas town. How well did Sadie really know her brother? Can Heather break away from her tight knit, criminal family?

I've really been enjoying these gritty Midwestern mysteries, maybe because everything about them is so far removed from my life, except for the human emotions involved. The book takes place in a depressed rural area of Kansas. Drugs and crime are rampant. The deaths in the book are depicted as both cruel and unnecessary.

Both Sadie and Heather are interesting characters, but I was especially drawn to Heather's story. She was born into difficult circumstances, but she's very strong and practical. Her goals are simple, but difficult to achieve.

The writing and story are well written and fast paced. It's brevity is also a great asset. The author doesn't waste time with complicating the plot with unnecessary red herrings. A very satisfying book.

RATING: 4 STARS
2019; Spiegel & Grau/Random House Publishing Group

I first read Laura McHugh's The Weight of Blood and loved the dark realistic tones, that reminded me of Tawni O'Dell's books (specifically, Back Roads). Rural Blackwater, Kansas is a place where the opioid overdoses and crimes to fuel that addiction are rising. Sadie and Henley are two residents that are just trying to make their life better for themselves.

It has been a year since Sadie's brother passed and she is still wanting to know how he died. She suspects her sister-in-law knows more than she is saying, and may have led him to his death. The detective in charge of the case feels like the case is closed, as do others, so Sadie is on her own. She has a young daughter so she has to be carefully in her digging.

Henley, is a teen, and stuck in a family of criminals and those with addictions. She wants to get far away from Blackwater and will do anything to make that happen. She also has secrets that could keep her tethered to the town and her family.

When bones turn up and the police start to investigate both women have to make a move that could cost them everything.

If you are expecting an action-packed thrill ride, you may want to pass on this one. The Wolf Wants In is a slow burn literary mystery that is beautifully written. There is a good amount of suspense and I can almost promise you, you will be flipping through this one.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

I ended up buying the book. Hits too close to home and it took awhile to power through it. I connected with the character the author created.

Wow this book was a surprise! This one had been on my TBR for a long time. I loved that it was more of a character driver literary mystery, I was racing to read the end of this book because I was dying to find out what had happened. The writing was beautiful and I totally see the comparisons to Sharp Objects. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of Laura McHugh’s novel, The Wolf Wants In, in exchange for an honest review.

Sadie Keller’s brother has died and although the case has been closed, she is convinced that her former sister-in-law, a member of the infamous Pettit clan, is hiding the truth. The Pettit’s are well known in rural Kansas for drug running and other criminal behavior. The situation escalates when the body of a local child is found in the woods. Sadie is an old friend of the child’s mother and she fears that the Pettit’s could be involved. Eighteen-year-old Henley Pettit is caught in the crosshairs of the family business. Henley desperately wants to get out of town and live a normal life, but she is also compelled to guard the Pettit’s secrets.

McHugh is a great suspense and mystery writer. I throughly enjoyed The Wolf Wants In. It’s a tension filled novel with strong characters and compelling twists. My favorite aspect of the work is the setting. Although a work of fiction, it isn’t difficult to imagine that this story could have taken place in many rural towns in America. The story speaks to the opioid epidemic and the way addiction fall-out impacts so many lives. This is a timely subject and one that McHugh tackles with care.

The characters have heavy dilemmas, especially Henley who has to make some irrevocable and dangerous decisions at a young age. The tension is thick throughout, making The Wolf Wants In, a page-turner.

Small Midwestern towns can hide a multitude of secrets and this book plumbs those depths. It's a fast read with an ending that seems to come crashing down almost too quickly, but still enjoyable.

Sadie Keller wants to know how her brother died. She doesn't think it's natural causes and her sister-in-law sure doesn't seem that upset about it. Henley Pettit is wanting to get out of the same small town. She's seen the bad side of Blackwater, Kansas and doesn't want to be there anymore. Overall, I didn't see this book as a thriller, but did enjoy the small town aspects. I felt like it was more about the characters than the mystery and really liked it.

In Laura McHugh's the Wolf Wants In, this scintillating thriller will send you guessing and leave you at the edge of the seat. It all started for Sadie Keller, a single mother, who's looking for answers on what happened to her brother Shane and how he died. Her sister-in-law Krystle might be hiding something when she investigated the truth of the matter. In Blackwater, Kansas, news had broken out about Macey Calhoun's little body had been found out. A lot of suspicion went down on who could've done it in that small town. As for Henley Pettitt, her sister-in-law's cousin, she knows what happened to Shane and works as a housekeeper for Earl Sullivan. Though she might've fallen head over heels with his son Jason, who had a ton of emotional baggage to claim, she wanted to get out of those small opioid-ravaged town fast. Between the two of them, they would find justice, peace of mind, and piece together what happened to Shane Keller and set things right to move on with their life.

Women writing grit lit, I just love it. This book is a slow burn, building and giving you palpitations to keep reading. Poverty and overwhelming drug use are all over the location setting. Good people are dotted here and there, but too many people quick to seek their own revenge. Great story.