Out of Her Mind Sayer Brooks Book 2 by TR Ragan

4 stars

289 Pages
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Release Date: November 10, 2020

Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Mystery, Thriller, Kidnapping, Serial Killer, Rape, Assault, Revenge

Sawyer Brooks is a journalist for the Sacramento Independent recently assigned to the crime desk. When a big case comes along about a missing 11-year-old girl, Sawyer is all in. She even enlists the help of her sister Aria. Harper Pohler (also known as Malice) is a part of an underground organization called The Crew along with Cleo, Bug, Lily, and Psycho. Their mission is to remove the men that raped and assaulted them in the past. The police only know them as the Black Wigs since they are always disguised.

The book had a steady pace, the characters are developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. There are still outstanding issues with The Crew/Black Wigs. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, No Going Back.

A gripping narrative that immerses readers in the harrowing world of crime reporter Sawyer Brooks. Haunted by the shadows of a traumatic upbringing, Sawyer channels her pain into seeking justice for the vulnerable, emerging as a formidable force against the darkness that once consumed her.

This was an okay book for me. I wasn’t completely blown away but I did enjoy some of the plot twists throughout. Thank you!

This book and the characters were very well written. The plot was great and kept me entertained the whole time. I’m sad this sat on my Netgalley shelf for so long! Would definitely like to read more by this author.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

TR Ragan is one of my favorite authors. I have been reading her books since Abducted came out and I love them all. Out of Her Mind was a great story and I love Sawyer very much. I cannot wait to see what comes next from TR Ragan and will always look forward to her new books.

If you want to get your heart pumping and not move, start reading the Sawyer Brooks series. Cold and fresh cases, revenge, secrets and living nightmares. Buckle your seat belt because you are in for a wild ride.

Out of Her Mind, the second novel to feature Sacramento based investigative reporter Sawyer Brooks.

The story begins with Riley being abducted by a woman who's looking to replace her daughter. Riley's smart and clever, and her chapters felt very urgent as she tries to find a way out of her predicament.

Sawyer is investigating the abduction story, and fortunately she's for anxious to solve the mystery because the police don't seem to be doing that much on their end. The lack of good police work is the only problem I have with the book, they should be a least as competent as a crime reporter.

Sawyer is coming to terms with everything that happened with her parents in the last book, but it's causing problems in her personal life (what little personal life she has) and she's forced to do some reflecting.

The vigilante group seems to be ramping up in intensity and fraying at the seams simultaneously. And as in the last book, I'm conflicted about their actions.

I should have read her first book, I will be reading the third book.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read Out of Her Mind in exchange for an honest review.

Great thriller which kept me engaged throughout to the very end. Only wish I had read it sooner! Will be reading more by this author and recommend highly to others.

Great book. Highly recommend and will most defiantly read more by this author and suggest to others!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Out of Her Mind by T.R. Ragan.

This is the second of the Sawyer Brooks series. I do recommend reading the first one for context.

Sawyer Brooks is a crime reporter, passionate about speaking for victims. Both Sawyer and her sister experienced their own unspeakable trauma, and all of them have sought different ways to cope with their pain.

Young Riley has gone missing, launching a frantic search, only heightened by a young girl's bones being found in a park. Understanding the fear that Riley must be experiencing, Sawyer works exhaustively to find her, and the truth, launching her deeper into a world of psychopathy and secrets.

This is a very fun series, great for crime and mystery buffs alike. Sawyer and her sisters are a complex and compelling story in and of themselves. The stories are well written and full of cliff hangers and suspense. I highly recommend for a day of needed distraction.

The second book in the Sawyer Brook series was just as good as the first, if not better! It's still a slightly tougher thriller to get through content wise but I absolutely loved it! I would recommend that if you liked the first book (or even if you were on the fence) you should absolutely read this book.

A promising read by this great author, as usual.... I enjoyed the premise & the story clipped along at a great pace. Thanks for the ARC!

I randomly found this author on Kindle Unlimited one year. I've read most everything she's published since. Her books are amazing and in this book Sawyer has grown. (Read the series and you'll see what I mean)

Sawyer Brooks is an advocate for missing children. Working on two stories for the paper she works for, she can easily take the stories personally. When she investigates the disappearance of 5 girls and one that is current, she begins to pinpoint similarities and the dots begin to connect. The other story unbeknownst to her, hits close to home. The case is known as the Black Wig. A vigilante group that has targeted known sex abusers that have not received justice. These two stories cross each other and actually give fuel to the other.

The narration is in several characters- Sawyer and how she chases down leads. She is systematic in her approach which it makes it easy for the reader to grasp. The current young girl Riley who was abducted. How she keeps a clear mind with escape on the forefront. You cheer for her and for her bravery and vulnerability. And one of the Black Wig vigilante who is close to Sawyer. This group of women seek revenge but in doing so damage important relationships. The satisfaction of revenge seems beyond their grasp.

Out of Her Mind is the head games that happen when trauma takes place and the victim becomes perpetrator. I always enjoy how this author goes in-depth with her characters.

A special thank you to Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Rating: 4 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book: Out of Her Mind
Release Date: Available Now!!! (Released on Nov 10, 2020)
Author: T.R. Ragan
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers/General Fiction (Adult)

Sipping Synopsis: Sawyer Brooks is back sticking her nose in, ahem, I mean investigating a case of missing girls. As Sawyer deals with her demons from the past, she is more than eager to solve this case and prevent another young girl from having a horrible childhood like hers. The Black Wig crew is also back with their vigilante antics also risking their lives in their pursuit.

Final sipping thoughts: Sawyer Brooks is one bad @&$ investigating crime reporter. Her no-nonsense, non-rule following, strong personality is one of my favorite female protagonists to date. She does some outlandish things that in the real life would either get her killed or thrown in jail but that is what makes the story so gripping. I cannot wait to continue the books in this series and hope Ragan continues Sawyer’s journey. I also think she should just join the police force and become an investigator since she does their job better than they do. No Going Back, Sawyer Brooks book #3, releases in May and I cannot wait to see the shenanigans that will ensue!

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley, @Thomas&Mercer, and @trraganauthor for an advanced copy of @OutOfHerMind

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I really like this series and this installment was fantastic. The plot was clever with strong characters and kept me thoroughly engaged. This story was not as dark as the last but we learn more about the vigilante group. I can’t wait to see what is revealed in the next book.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

In this second book of the series crime reporter Sawyer Brooks takes on the story of the bones of a little girl who was found in a local park. At the same time she is looking into a case of a twelve year old missing girl named Riley. She becomes obsessed over both cases and figuring out what happened to each girl. The more she digs the murkier things seem to become. Memories of her own sordid childhood stand at the forefront as she prays that the missing girl isn't going through something similar. She soon learns of more missing girls and wonders if all the cases are related in some way. Sawyer knows that she isn't going to give up no matter what she has to do. The police think she's a joke and don't seem to see what she does when she looks at all the puzzle pieces. Can she save Riley before she meets a horrible end? Will she be able to figure out what happened to the girl whose bones were found in the park? Dive in, this was an exciting read that had me on edge until the end!

Sawyer is a great character and this was a great thriller. Quick, poignant, scary, nerve-wracking, etc. all the good components of a cool that keeps you going and going until finished. The balance between The Crew and the story that Sawyer was looking for and trying to solve was well executed and not too confusing, as it could have been. I applaud Ragan for tackling the issue of abuse and rape and not handling it with kids' gloves, but the real BS it is and how sometimes the victims need to take power into their own hands. There’s a lot going on in this book and I think that the big issues are there, but the story and how it intertwines the issues is really well done. I liked it. I’m excited about the inevitable next installment

T.R. Ragan has officially become my new favorite crime fiction author - I just cannot stop reading her books!

Out of Her Mind is the second book in the Sawyer Brooks series. If you haven't read the first one, Don't Make a Sound then stop - drop everything - and go read it right now. It's fantastic. Sawyer Brooks is a crime beat reporter with a amazingly sordid past. Her past, and that of her sisters, is what drives Brooks to investigate a story without stopping until she discovers the truth. I honestly wish we still had crime reporters like this. The world needs them! When a child's bones are found and another child goes missing, Brooks begins searching for similarities. With the help of her sister, Aria, they soon discover a string of missing children. Could this be the work of seriel kidnapper/murder? Brooks certainly thinks so.

There is a seperate sub-plot that runs along with this primary one revolving around The Black Wig women. I won't divulge much about this group but I find their story just as fascinating as Sawyer Brooks.

This series, like others that Ragan writes, is a well done piece of crime fiction. The characters - all of them - are well written and fully fleshed out for the reader. You see their weaknesses as well as their strengths and, beginning in this second book, you also begin to see their growth past their pain and their insecurities. I highly recommend Out of Her Mind as well as the remainder of the series.