This one keeps you guessing with a cast full of suspects. Claire's character has a lot of development compared to the first book. Noah is a part of the book but in the background. I'm not sure how I feel about him after this one. There is a lot going on in this race to catch the killer. Plenty of suspense, action, tension, and mystery.

The detective finds a body tied up up in a hotel room... with ashes scattered around her body. Our detective Claire is also fighting her own past, her sisters was burned and murdered. Could this be a warning? Fast paced and thrilling.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
M/F Thriller

Claire is recovering from solving her sister’s murder when she's asked to help in a nearby community that isn't used to dealing with murder. What Claire finds when she arrives is a grisly scene. Woman murdered, tied to a bed and covered in ashes. Is this a forensic countermeasure? Someone treating this woman as trash? The questions continue to pile up, without many answers.

When it becomes clear that there is a serial killer among this small community, it will take all of Claire's investigatory skills, as well as a little help from Noah, to figure out how to keep the young women of the community safe.

Noah is still part of this story, but more in a peripheral setting. He is off working on his own case while Claire is working on hers. While they aren't together a whole lot, their paths intertwine and they have some issues to work out.

The story is full of suspects. Claire is trying to piece it all together, while racing against the murderer. Just when you think she's figured part of the story out, a twist is thrown in and you have to start all over again.

Triggers: Murder

Although this was the second in a series, I had no problem reading it as a stand alone book. It had a steady pace and I enjoyed the storyline. The story is full of suspects and the twists and turns keep you guessing. I enjoyed the author's writing style and look forward to reading more of her books.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book in exchange for my review.

I loved this book and could not put it down. It is very well written and I enjoyed the characters. I did not read the first book in the series, but had no problem with Beneath the Ashes. I will be reading the first book due to enjoying this one.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Sometimes, I realize there are shadows so big they'll eclipse your entire life, all that you are."

I am not eager to write this review. The cover with an intriguing description drew me to this book. Since this book is one of my first few requests to be approved, my anticipation for this book reached its peak. The other reviewers who had already read this book suggested that it can read as a standalone. That just perked my interest up and I was eager to divulge in this book. I am not disappointed with the book but I didn't particularly live up to my expectations and crushed my anticipation for this book.

Detective Clair Calderwood has just solved her sister, Rachel's and related murder sprees. She has been getting a lot of attention from the media for it and the only interview she had given was to her boyfriend, Noah. Now, she is called to assist Camden's PD after they find a horrific murder scene involving a teenager who is bound naked to the bed with ashes spread over her body and her head covered in a plastic bag, in a local motel. Claire starts the investigation, assisted by a beat cop of Camden PD, Sergeant Austin Pelletier. Amidst this, she finds out Noah is going back to his town to investigate his best friend's mother's murder after some new lead shows up. Claire finds out Noah has kept so many secrets and she feels betrayed. She is afraid that her one proper relationship might come to an end. But her Camden killer strikes again in the same pattern. And again. The case is going cold because those under suspects are easily cleared. The only thread that connects all the victims are their medical history. All the girls murdered had visited the same hospital for treatment. She is sure that their culprit is in the hospital. But who is it?

Predictable. Forget what I said, I am disappointed. It worked well for one time read. Here's what I loved about the book: the cover, the well-planned murder, interrogations/questioning and the writing style of the author. The first quarter of the book is pretty interesting and kept me hooked but after that, everything went downhill. I didn't find a certain death necessary. There are so many aspects of the plot that was left unexplored. I felt that there was just too much attention to romance. I love the combination of murder mystery/romance and I love how they balance each other. The romance is this book is distracting to the reader. It could've been portrayed well and the way their cases intertwined was just so predictable. This was one of my highly anticipated reads and it failed to reach my expectations. The characters are well written but not properly justified. Claire is a strong woman and a really good detective but this book didn't do justice to her character. Maybe, if I have read the first one, that opinion would've been different. Austin could've been so much more. The only character I loved in this book is Harper. The last chapters felt rushed and ruined the book for me.

The only reason why I endured this book is Dea's writing style. I will certainly read whatever she writes next, only for that reason.

I have heard a great deal about the first book of this series which I will check out sometime soon. If that disappoints me as well, I would be heartbroken.

Recommended: Most of the readers of this book liked it and even though, I don't personally recommend it, you can give this a read and judge it for yourself.

Excellent psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! Well-developed characters and plot. Highly recommend!

Detective Claire Calderwood is called to investigate a horrible murder scene of a young woman found bound, tortured, covered with ashes and her head covered in plastic. She's a seasoned detective, but the scene torments her of her own sister's murdered some years ago.

As second young woman is found in the exact same circumstances making the idea of a serial killer not such an impossibility. As her investigation finds some definite leads, she finds herself and her temporary partner in grave danger.

The real distraction of this investigation is her boyfriend, Noah, a reporter/true crime author. He's being secretive and distant and Claire is afraid their days are numbered.

This is a cleverly put together police procedural with some romance thrown in the mix. There's lots of action, suspense, and the ending is quite surprising. The characters are deftly defined. Although second in the series, this one reads easily as a stand alone.

Many thank to the author / Thomas & Mercer / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

The first book in this series, The Next Girl to Die, totally captivated me. The heart of the story touched me. It felt personal. Unfortunately, this book didn't give me the same depth of emotion. It came across more police procedural, Joe Friday-esque.

I enjoyed following along as Det. Calderwood pieced together clues and interviewed witnesses. It gave me a true sense of what LE goes through as they try to solve a crime. Putting together pieces of information, discarding others, second-guessing what could be important but might not mean a thing -- the thought process was fascinating.

But I felt the human element was missing. Until problems with Noah surfaced. Her struggle with trying to solve this crime and stay ahead of a killer, while questioning her relationship and dealing with residual grief over her sister's murder, finally gave me what I'd been missing: her humanity.

I only hope the next book is less procedural and back to the flavor of her first book where I could feel and experience what it means to be affected on a deep level, all while maintaining professionalism in difficult situations.

A much improved effort on the 1st installment of this series - 4 stars.

Claire Calderwood is back and still reeling from the aftermath of the previous case. She quickly is called to assist in another municipality in Maine with a grisly murder. A young girl is found dead in a motel room with no suspect to point to, no forensic evidence and no known motive. As she investigates, the stakes get even higher as it appears a serial killer has come to town.

I was kind of disappointed with the first book in the series, but wanted to give the author a second chance. I'm really glad I did! The other great thing about this book is that reading the first in the series isn't necessary. There is plenty of catch up sprinkled throughout and it doesn't get too repetitive.

I would recommend this if you're looking for a new series with a female lead. I definitely think it's worth your time!

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and Dea Poirier for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Review Date: 11/17/19
Publication Date: 11/19/19

Claire is called in to help with a case not long after solving her sister’s murder. Another great suspense book by Dea Poirier. Her characters feel very real and the story keeps you wanting to keep reading to find out what happens. I love stories with strong female characters and this one happened to have a couple of them. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy to read and review. Review posted on goodreads and will also post on Amazon on publication date!

A serial killer with of young women an especially nasty bent is haunting Maine. Claire, a great detective who solved her own sister's murder (and is still dealing with her grief) is called in to help local law enforcement. Fans of the genre will appreciate this one for the good characters in Claire and her boyfriend Noah, a journalist with his own issues- they round out what might otherwise be a tad voyeuristic. It's a fast paced read that builds on the first book (don't worry- you'll be fine with this as a standalone). Poirier takes advantage of the setting to add atmospherics. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good one.

Oooooh am I happy to have happened upon this series, I love a good Detective series and always on the lookout to add new ones to my ever growing list…. Although Beneath the Ashes is the second in the Det Claire Calderwood series, I had no issue reading it as a standalone although having enjoyed it immensely (in a sick and twisted way ha ha), I will be going back to read the first book.

The body of a young woman is found in a motel room tied to a bed with a plastic bag over her head, the entire contents of an ashtray can tipped over the body…. A sex game gone wrong? Highly unlikely, Calderwood is called in to help as she has vast knowledge and experience with murders and although she is still raw from finally solving the murder of her sister together with her boyfriend and reporter, Noah Washington, she will give this case her all, she wants justice for this girl and her family. With no clues and the scene/body destroyed with the DNA from the ashes, where to begin?

A couple of nights later, same motel, same thing happens again… are they on the hunt for a serial killer although technically the body count has to be 3 to even consider that…. Claire knows in her own mind that this is the work of a practised killer and more bodies will mount up.

Thoroughly enjoyed this, a great police procedural mystery with side stories including personal to the characters, it was fast paced, couldn’t put it down, and sure wouldn’t be a mystery without some twists thrown in so get ready! Highly recommend.

A woman is found dead in a motel room in Camden, Maine. Since the town does not have an active homicide detective, Detective Claire Calderwood is requested. Claire and her boyfriend, reporter Noah Washington, recently solved the murder of her sister, and her feelings are still raw. This murder is particularly brutal and now another woman has been found, killed in the same manner. As the investigation proceeds, Claire discovers that there may be a link to the local hospital and has to deal with the CEO who only wants to protect the hospital’s reputation. Meanwhile, Noah is out of town on a family matter that he refuses to share with Claire. Claire is a strong female character who refuses to back down and will solve this case, hopefully before the killer strikes again. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Not read this author before.
In my opinion the story never really got going. It certainly didn't have me on the edge of my seat.
Far, far too much description about the weather and the characters were 2D.

This was such an amazing read that I couldn’t put it down. It went everywhere with me. To the doctors office, the dentist, the eye doctor. IT WENT ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE. I was so sad when it ended that I immediately went and bought more books from this author!

In her sophomore offering, Dea Poirier sends Claire Calderwell on her next big case. A girl's body has been found in a motel. There are ritualistic elements at the scene that hint at a murderer who has been killing girls for a long time, and when more bodies are discovered.
Meanwhile, Claire's boyfriend Noah is busy dealing with his own ghosts miles away. Claire misses him, but is struggling with whether or not to take their relationship to the next level. Meanwhile, she's assigned to partner with a young female officer who's never worked this type of case before, and finds herself in the role of teacher and mentor.

In her investigation, all roads seem to lead to the same hospital. The female administrator is heartless and there are plenty of reasons for suspicion, but the hospital is uncooperative and has enough influence to make it hard for Claire's investigation to advance.

There are plenty of discoveries along the way as Claire, and the reader, sort out what information is relevant and what isn't. One of the strengths of Poirier's approach is that she doesn't rush to quick fixes and simple solutions. Claire feels very real because she is damaged and solving her sister's murder doesn't automatically make everything better. She'll spend a lifetime working through the damage from that trauma, and no relationship, drink or life choice is going to change that. Claire wrestles with demons. She struggles with what she wants - Noah - and her fears about loss.

Poirier's stories are as much about the slow road of recovery from trauma and dealing with grief as they are about the murders Claire investigates. It's one of the hallmarks that sets her series apart, and readers leave Beneath the Ashes with the sense that whatever crimes Claire deals with next, she will continue to work through her personal issues as well as she heals, making her a relatable and compelling character to revisit with each new series installment.

(review will be featured at Kevin Tipple's Book Corner)

The suspense and the narrative were good. The police investigation was good. But where it fell short was in the explanation. Some loose threads were left off, like the missing case records of the first victim, selection and execution of the last female victim. The previous murders were not explained. 3.5 stars ⭐️

Beneath the Ashes is the second in Poirier’s Calderwood series. Detective Claire Calderwood is investigate a murder in a nearby community across the island where she lives. When a girl’s body is discovered tied to the bed of a hotel room and covered with ashes from an ash can. There are no witnesses and the efficacy of the few clues has been diluted with DNA from multiple cigarettes. Claire must handle her past (the death of her sister) while figuring out who killed this girl. When another girl is found, Claire is faced tracking down one very smart serial killer.

The pacing of the novel is fast and intense enough that I read it in one sitting. The police procedural aspect seems accurate. Claire is tough enough to be a cop, but with enough flaws to be human. Though this is the second in the series and I hadn’t read #1 (Next Girl to Die), I was able to read Beneath the Ashes without difficulty. My only complaint was that Noah, Claire’s boyfriend, isn’t well realized, but that may be because he was well-delineated in book one.

The New England winter is almost a character in itself.

This book might do well read in conjunction with The Winter Sister by Megan Collins. Both books deal with the loss of a sister via murder, but the The Winter Sister is told from the POV of a “civilian” while Beneath the Ashes is told from the police POV.

Beneath the Ashes is the second book revolving around main character Detective Claire Calderwood, which I did not find out until starting this book. There are several references to Claire's sister and happenings from the previous book but fortunately though, this turned out just fine as a standalone, and I enjoyed the book all the same.

Beneath the Ashes is a mystery thriller with Det. Claire Calderwood being assigned to a set of gruesome murders just after the death of her own sister. She is also just settling into a new relationship with her boyfriend, Noah, who is a reporter with a somewhat sordid past. I enjoyed that there were personal struggles to the case for Claire--seeing her sister in the victims, dealing with tension with certain secondary characters. Overall it made for a very entertaining and enjoyable ride of a thriller.