Lisa Regan does it again! Cold Heart Creek is book 7 of the Josie Quinn series and I believe the best so far. Josie is such an interesting character, brave yet vulnerable. A couple are found dead on a camping trip in the woods in Denton. It becomes apparent fairly soon that a third camper is missing. She may be responsible for the murders or be a victim herself. In the middle of all of this Josie is dealing with the imminent death of the woman who raised her who is in jail. After suffering a horrific childhood at the hands of her "mother " she cannot face going to the jail to see her. In Cold Heart Creek Josie has never been more vulnerable, she's plagued by nightmares from her childhood and faces possibly the toughest most complex case of her career. A real page turner, I highly recommend it. Many thanks to Netgalley for my advance copy.

At Book 7 Lisa Regan's Josie Quinn series is still going strong for me and a couple of my Traveling Sisters who read this series with me. We get excited every time there is a new book out and jump at the chance to read it together because we all love Josie! Josie continues to be a strong, complex and exciting character. We love the dynamics between Josie and the other characters in the series. Especially her relationship with Noah.

Cold Heart Creek is another fast-paced, intense story with twists and turns that kept me guessing. My favourite part of the series is the dynamics between Josie and her past. With each book, we learn a bit more about the demons that haunt Josie as she investigates a new crime.

Josie is called to woods here to investigate the death of two campers as she deals with the darkness that haunts her at night. I love the intensity here with that along with the warmth that guides Josie through the darkness. The crime is engaging with a little something different that kept me on my toes. It all comes together really well in the end. I highly recommend!

There is no two ways about it. I look forward to these books. When the publishers place them on a reviewing website, and say they are available to read, I always have difficulty finishing what I’m reading at the time quick enough so that I can find out what Josie Quinn has been up to this time.

Cold Heart Creek did not disappoint.

From the very beginning the booked had me hooked, Josie has a back story that includes a horrific child hood and upbringing, and she’s having flashbacks in her nightmares.

Meanwhile, a ranger finds two bodies at a campsite, then a third sleeping bag is discovered. Who is missing?

There are clues. Clues which lead Josie and her team on a hunt for the third person but what they find is even more disturbing, than they could have anticipated.

From the beginning of the book the story is addictive. Josie is suffering mentally. Her Boyfriend, and work Partner, Noah knows she is but she won’t let him in to help.

The murder investigation, and the hunt for the third person takes a nasty twist and Josie, Noah and the rest of the team are hampered by the terrain surrounding the small city of Denton, and the weather that nature unleashes on them.

It’s hard to say much about the story without introducing massive spoilers but that doesn’t mean the book has an obvious ending, in fact it’s far from obvious. That’s the beauty about Lisa Regan’s writing. She gives you enough information to let you build your own hypothesis and then, without introducing any “shark infested custard” type scenarios, she delivers the perfect end that sneaks up on you without warning; and definitely leaves you wanting to read the next book.

𝔅𝔈𝔖𝔗 𝔒𝔑𝔈 𝔜𝔈𝔗

This series just keeps getting better and better and better... this is the seventh book in the series end it could be read as a standalone, but I would strongly encourage you to read this entire series. There is so much character growth throughout the books and the characters continuous story arc adds to the brilliance of the series. The story kicks off with two dead bodies at a campsite in the woods and then a pregnant woman fleeing out of the trees in the same forest. As Josie and Noah begin to investigate they run across a “sanctuary“ in the middle of the woods. What follows is a wild investigation involving murder, kidnapping, a cult, and a hermit. All this is going on while Josie continues to wrestle with her demons and come to terms with her estranged mother’s impending death.

This crime thriller was so cleverly plotted and perfectly pased. I was completely sucked in from the very first page then at about 80% the tension was ramped way up and I was unable to tear my eyes from the pages. My heart was pounding and my mind was racing, I needed to find out what the heck was going on. I had a slight inclination as to the direction these cases were going in, but I had no idea of the complexities involved. Once again my detective hats off to you Lisa Regan! If you have not read this series run don’t walk to wherever it is you purchase books from Anne start bingeing this brilliant series, and if you are already a fan this is the best one yet!

this book in emojis. 🏕 🌲 🔪

*** Big thanks to Bookouture for my gifted copy ***

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. I am a HUGE Josie fan and have been following her since her first book, seven books in and I still can't get enough. You could read this as a standalone but you would get more enjoyment if you read the whole series. Josie has a lot of character development across the seven books and you would miss out on finding out whos she is and where she came from. Seven books might seem like a commitment but trust me once you start you will race through them.

Josie Quinn is someone that is easy to root for. She has been to hell and back more than once and she is trying her damndest to not let her past ruin her future. As usual, though Josie has built up her walls and is trying to handle it all by herself. Sometimes she needs to learn that it's okay to let people in.

Lisa did not disappoint with another gripping crime and an investigation that was full of twists and turns. It always felt like the answer was just that tiny bit out of reach for both the reader and the team. This was both frustrating and addictive. I just had to keep turning the pages I had hope that at some point it would all become within my grasp and I would work it all out. Lisa kept me hanging on until the very end. Keeping somethings up her sleeve for a final reveal.

I will miss being back in the world of Josie and I hope that it will be time to return again soon.

There are truly disturbed people in this world and Josie knows that. The woman she believed to be her mother messed up her life. Now she can’t sleep at night without nightmares about her childhood. And the new case she takes on is going to make things worse. Josie has to ask herself if getting in touch with her dark side would be her salvation or her downfall. This series keeps getting better and better. I really enjoy every new book and highly recommend the Josie Quinn series, it’s well written, suspenseful and addictive.

A Creepy Cult, A Mysterious Kidnapping, A Hermit, and Multiple Murders! Oh my!

Cold Heart Creek focuses on dual mysteries that involve a lost camper, a mysterious pregnant woman, and a creepy cult. This is book #7 in the Detective Josie Quinn series, and it is by far my favorite!

When Josie and her partner (and boyfriend), Noah, are called to investigate a murder at a campsite in Central PA, they find two bodies but three sleeping bags. Who the third camper is and how they escaped is one of the main mysteries. Driving back from the campsite, they come across a pregnant woman who ran from the woods into the middle of the road. Who she is and why she came running out of the woods, plays another major role. As Josie and Noah investigate, they come across The Sanctuary, a creepy cult with some *interesting* practices.

On top of these two cases, Josie is suffering from nightmares about her childhood. She and Noah are also going through some growing pains, but their relationship is solid. I love them!

This was an intriguing installment of the series. Darkness and light are the main themes. Josie’s battle to stay with the light causes her to confront past demons. The narrative is fast-paced and suspenseful. The last 20% or so had my heart pounding and the mysteries kept me guessing. I couldn’t put the pieces together. I pride myself on my armchair detective skills, but I was a miserable failure when it came to this book!

This book can easily be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the entire series. It keeps getting better and better!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Regular readers of my blog will know that I’m a huge fan of this author’s books which, in my opinion, keep getting better and better. I’m so impressed with how she keeps coming up with fantastic, different story lines.

This book gives the reader more of an insight into Josie and her past which I thought was very interesting. It was nice to see her vulnerable side and that she can let other people look after her sometimes which made her seem more real. The secondary characters from previous books are featured more in this book and I enjoyed finding out more about them.

This was an incredibly gripping, intense read which I just couldn’t put down. I found myself trying to sneak off and read a few more pages which is always a sign of a great read. There are lots of twists that kept me on my toes and some very intense, heart thumping moments which ensured I was glued to the page. The author is very skilled at describing the scenes and characters so that the reader can really envision them in my mind, though in some of the dark moments I wished I couldn’t. The ending was superb and a brilliant way to end the book. I liked how intense it was and how it managed to change my opinion of some of the characters.

Huge thanks to Noelle from Bookouture for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. This is a must read series for any thriller lover!

Cold Heart Creek by Lisa Regan is the 7th book in the Detective Josie Quinn mystery series, and another great addition. A young newlywed couple is found dead, and another women is missing from their camp. The police are led to a commune, where no one is talking. Josie and Noah are on the case. Wow this book grabbed me from the very first page, and kept me going. This book has more twists and turns, that kept me reading page after page. Just when I thought I was on the right track, I realize I wasn't. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author. Detective Josie Quinn reminds me of Police Chief Kate Burkholder in the series by Linda Castillo. Both women suffered while growing up, and have alcohol issues. If you love mysteries like I do, than I strongly recommend this book.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

This is a really good series. Josie is a brilliant character and each book reveals a little bit more about her past. This book is packed with action and had me gripped the whole way through. There are cleverly written twists. I would definitely recommend any of the books in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Wow! Are we on book #7 already? Seems just yesterday I discovered Detective Josie Quinn struggling with her horribly abusive mother, the ex-husband she still had feelings for, and a chip on her shoulder where work was concerned. A lot has happened and I was excited to start feeling comfortable with her relationship with Noah. Ms. Regan set it up so I felt they were on a more even footing at work, which in turned made their relationship feel more equal to me. This was done through a great balance of Josie dealing with her personal life in the form of her dying mother, what appears to be a serial killer, and a nearby commune. All the aspects blended together wonderfully providing for a nice cohesive and thoroughly engaging story. I'm really glad Josie wasn't forced to remain as chief. She shines as a detective and I look forward to reading about her next case!

Detective Josie Regan wakes up in the middle of the night screaming... sometimes she's on the floor, covered in sweat and tears. Her childhood was horrifying and she still suffers today. Her so-called mother is in prison and is dying. Her other wants her to come see her before her death ... but Josie wants no part of this evil, evil, monster.

She's trying to not let this interfere with her latest case. A married couple is found in the woods near a creek. What starts out as an apparent accidental poisoning changes when a pendant necklace is found jammed down the woman's throat.

Toss in another missing woman from the campsite, add yet another woman, pregnant, who is found by Josie and her colleague, as well as lover, in the middle of nowhere, a kind of sanctuary, maybe a cult full of people living off the grid and you have the makings of a powerful story.

For those who have followed this series, you will find this a welcome addition. Although this is 7th in the series, it reads easily as a stand alone... but it would be much more beneficial to start at the beginning for the backstory of Josie, plus how her relationship with Noah has weathered many storms.

This is a well written crime fiction, with the usual ups and downs and twists and turns, as are all this author's books. All the characters are standout and unforgettable. The story is a real page turner.

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

Detective Josie Quinn and her partner (in both work and personal life) Detective Noah Fraley landed straight in it after their few days off, with the call regarding the deaths of a young couple near Cold Heart Creek. Their campsite had been ransacked but it was the third sleeping bag they found that had Josie believing there was another person who could now be in danger. Learning about the Sanctuary from another cop sent the team there to investigate. But when each person had been interviewed, they were none the wiser. Josie’s gut feelings were that something was going on out there, but for the moment she had nothing.

With Josie and her team working around the clock to find the missing woman, they were shocked when another body turned up – a person Josie knew. Her anger, fatigue and frustration escalated with time now against them. Josie also had in the back of her mind, the imminent death of her adoptive mother; the person who had abused her in horrific ways. Would Josie, Noah and the team find the killer - and the missing woman – before it was too late? Were the two cases connected? And who was the person in the caves?

Cold Heart Creek is the 7th in the Detective Josie Quinn series by Lisa Regan, and another exceptional read. Set in Denton, Pennsylvania, the pace is electric, the twists and red herrings had me wondering where the author was taking me. Gripping and intense, Cold Heart Creek is a psychological thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I can’t wait for #8! Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Cold Heart Creek by Lisa Regan in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. When a couple is found dead laying next to their campfire, holding hands, detective Josie Quinn is determined to find their killer. A third sleeping bag is found near the bodies. Does it belong to the killer? Was there a third victim that escaped? Results of the autopsy are unsettling. As with other books by this author....you will not be able to put this book down once you begin reading it.

This is another great book in the Josie Quinn series. Josie and the team are called in to investigate when the remains of two campers are discovered in the woods by a creek.
It seems bad but then they realise it’s worse than they thought as it seems there was another person there, who is now missing.
The search begins but the team are up against it.
With this to deal with, Josie is also experiencing nightmares relating to the abuse from her mother and is struggling to sleep.
This is an action-packed read that will have you hooked from the first few pages.
I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend this series.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I loved this book; it was like watching an episode of my favorite crime tv show (pick one, I love most of them). The detail was plentiful, the characters were realistic, and the plot was well-paced. I especially liked how the author wove everything together slowly until it was a complete story with all aspects of the case wrapped up. This is the seventh in the series, but the first I have read, and references to past events were not confusing (they just made me want to read the first six books). I definitely recommend this book! For a full review, please see my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of this book.

This is book #7 in the Josie Quinn series. The book can be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading the series in order for continuity of the story. This latest instalment sees Josie investigating the deaths of a newlywed couple who are found by a park ranger near the town of Denton. Helped by her partner, Noah Fraley, the investigation twists and turns when it looks like there was a third person at the scene of the deaths, and they need to find who that was and where are they now!

I love this series, and over the previous 6 books have really connected with Josie’s character. As readers, we have been through such a lot with her and have come to know her personality and traits. She is a hard-working detective and shows a great determination to uphold the law and catch the bad guys! She also cares a great deal, not just about the victims she’s fighting for, but also about her friends and colleagues. I love her relationship with Noah, but do wonder is it going to be a ‘happy ever after’ for them over future books in the series?

The story itself was fast paced, gripping and hooked you into the story from the first few chapters. Like previous books, it kept me guessing as to what was going on and who the killer was, with plenty of ‘suspect’ characters to choose from!! Josie’s personal situation was a great side story and it will be interesting to see what else happens for this storyline in the next book (please say there will be one!!). What Josie experienced in her past is so heart-breaking to read, but again completely gripping!

I’ve really enjoyed this series so far, and long may it continue. I love a gutsy, confident and no holds barred female detective, and Josie is most definitely one of them!! If you love an American police procedure/murder story which is set in a great location, then look no further! Highly recommended!

Cold Heart Creek is the seventh instalment in the Detective Josie Quinn series set in Denton, Pennsylvania. It isn't necessary to have read any of the previous books in order to understand and enjoy this so feel free to jump right in. Josie and her crew are called in to investigate when the remains of two campers are discovered in the woods by a creek. Evidence shows there was another person who had been present, a woman, and so an intensive search for her begins immediately as she could be in imminent danger; they know locating and identifying her will be no easy feat. Meanwhile, Josie is experiencing nightmares and flashbacks and is struggling to come to terms with the fact that her abusive mother has summoned her to her prison bedside to see and speak to her one last time as she is suffering from terminal cancer. Naturally, Josie feels very conflicted about this. She is continuing to work through all her mother subjected her to.

From page one, you are pulled into the story and Ms Regan has absolutely no problem in holding your attention the whole way through. It's an intense and action-packed investigation and the twists and turns adeptly fool you into thinking you know where it's all heading before the rug is swiftly nabbed from under you and the story shifts in the opposing direction. This is an absorbing and exciting book and the fact that it is told solely from Josie's perspective means it's easy for everyone to follow and allows the narrative to flow well from page to page. There are three strands the plot: the search for the missing camper, the investigation into the mysterious woman they come across whilst on the campers trail and the last strand explores Josie's personal life. Another captivating and addictive addition to a stellar series. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

It’s hard to believe that this is #7 in this series. I love that Lisa Regan writes these quickly because I don’t lose track of characters or back stories. I adore the character of Josie Quinn. She’s a flawed detective with plenty of baggage, but I root for her and get swept up in all the danger that she finds herself in with these tales. You could read this as a stand-alone, but I think it would be much better to start with #1, “Vanishing Girls” and read them all.

In this one, we have a mysterious case of two campers found dead, what really happened to them? Does it have anything to do with the mysterious commune in the woods? Why is the neighboring town police force so reluctant to help with this case? Can the two police forces work together before there is another murder victim?

This one also has a return of Josie’s abusive mother and nightmares plague her. Steady boyfriend Noah has such a great calming influence on Josie, and I am so glad they’ve found each other.

This one is filled with twists and danger and the end was not what I predicted at all. It’s always an adventure to watch the Denton police solve the latest case. This one was paced well, and I found it to be a quick an engaging read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa Regan, and Bookoutre for an early copy of this one to read.

Cold Heart Creek by Lisa Regan is the seventh in the Detective Josie Quinn series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

  
Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Once Acting Chief of Police, Josie Quinn is now doing what she is best suited for. She’s back to being a detective and happy. She is learning to love her new-found family, but it is keeping her busy. So is dating Detective Noah Fraley.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

The bodies of Valerie and Tyler Yates are found in the woods near their tent.  They have been strangled.  It looks like another woman was camping with the couple, but she is missing.

While searching for the missing camper, Josie and Noah investigate an old farmhouse owned by Charlotte Fadden, who runs a sanctuary for those that want to live off the grid.  Sounds a bit like a cult.  Although she doesn't find their missing woman, Josie does find a young woman who looks like she is being abused.  The woman refuses their help.

Then, a pregnant woman runs out from the woods, and it turns out she has been missing for two years.  She says she was abducted, and kept in a cave by a big hairy man.  Sounds a little strange.

Josie wonders if all these things are connected, or if she should be treating them all separately.  

Meanwhile, Josie is also trying to ignore her horrendous past.  The woman who kidnapped her and abused her as a child is dying in prison, and wants to see her.


My Opinions:  

I like Josie.  The author has created a strong woman, and even when battling a panic attack, can take care of herself.  With each book, her character grows.  Although I am not a romance reader, I really like the relationship between Josie and Noah.  It seems real.

The plot was really good, and as always, there was a lot of action.  Even though there was a lot going on, everything moved smoothly.  The topics of abductions, and cults, and abuse, as well as mental health issues all tied together very well, and led to some interesting events.  The book hooks you and carries you along on a rather tense ride.

I am definitely looking forward to the next book.