Discussing the plot of "Surrender the Dead" in detail would risk spoilers, so here's a brief summary: Erin Reece returns to her hometown after receiving an urgent call from her father's doctor. Her departure from Wolf Point 15 years earlier was meant to be permanent, given the painful memories and unresolved wounds it held. Now, a body has been discovered on the Reece family's property, reopening a long-dormant police investigation with damning evidence against Erin's father. The community, hungry for justice after years of uncertainty, is far from thrilled to see her return. As Erin is determined to clear her father's name, she embarks on a quest for the truth that will force her to unearth deeply buried secrets and confront a sinister evil.

This thriller held my attention throughout and kept me guessing right up until the final chapters. The author's background as an ER doctor shines through in the vivid and sometimes graphic descriptions of the human body.
My only gripe - and it is a minor one - is the use of a common author trick where the main character knows more than they're revealing. Personally, I find this approach a tad frustrating, as it can make it challenging to piece together the full picture. However, for fans of thrillers, this may not be a significant concern, as the book is undeniably fast-paced and thrilling.

Surrender the Dead was a fast paced, suspenseful read. It has the perfect combination of secrets and twists and turns.

First time reading John Burley, and really enjoyed this book. Characters that were enjoyable to learn about, and a great plot/story, with some plot twists. Will need to find more by John Burley. #SurrendertheDead #NetGalley

Excellent suspense novel. Kept me interested to the end. Small town setting; interesting characters and gradual development of the main character, Erin. I enjoyed the back and forth between the past and present. Would have liked a little better explanation or tie-in as to the reason for each of the murders. We know the general “why” but not how each victim was involved with the murderer and his family. Overall a good psychological thriller.

Erin is urged to return to her small home town after receiving an urgent call from her father’s doctor. Things go from bad to worse when a body is discovered on her father’s property. Is it the body of Erin’s mother who was one of several people who went missing years ago?

I have yet to find a John Burley novel that I didn’t like and this was no exception. Excellent character development and fast paced storytelling made it hard for me to put this one down. Thank you Scene of the Crime & William Morrow for my advance copy.

Missing people. Young, old, male, female. In this small Montana town, people went missing. Then it stopped. Why? Why did it start? Why did it stop? Will it happen again?

A girl who grew up in this town and lost her mother leaves and returns when her father becomes ill. This novel explores the past and present. It keeps your interest as the reader pieces together what really happened all those years ago.

Kept me on the edge the whole time with this psychological thriller. Who is snatching people off of the streets in Montana, but bodies are never recovered and folks don't return. Why didn't they call in the Feds to figure this out because they have a killer in their midst. Erin left 15 years ago and comes back because her dad is ill and two dead bodies are found on his farm. Is he the person who snatched folks years ago and buried them on the farm. Erin is going to clear her dad as she knows it isn't him as her mom was snatched as well. What ensues between the story going back and forth between the present and back in the past to tell the story is scary on who is grabbed and what the predator says, how he acts and what he sings or riddles. What is revealed is sick, but before our eyes the whole time.

I love my thrillers and I can tell this one will be one of my all time favorites. A spine tingling page turner that has people that disappeared without a trace or explanation. And it’s been 19 years since Erin was last in her childhood home but is forced to return when she receives a phone call from her father’s doctor. And suddenly the police make a shocking discovery of bodies buried on her father’s property. Now it’s up to Erin to find out what’s really going on to clear her fathers name.

A slow building mystery! This was my first book by this author but I will be looking for more. I really appreciated the setting as well as the characters and how the story got not only the people but the town history involved. I did however find a few things a bit far fetched and on the edge of believable but that did not take away from the story. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this book.

This suspenseful thriller book takes us to Wolf Point, Montana in present time and in the 90's.

Erin Reece left Wolf Point fifteen years ago after graduating high school swearing to never come back. But an urgent call from the town's doctor about her father leaves her with no choice but to return.

Two decades ago people started to disappear in the span of three years, among them her mother, without a trace or explanation of what happened to them. And the disappearances stopped abruptly the same way that they started.

The town was never the same afterwards, no one is happy to see Erin back especially when two human remains are found buried in her father's farm.

It is up to Erin and her childhood friend Robbie, but mostly her to clear her father's name, discovering along the way buried secrets and trying to safe her life from the real killer.

This was a fast paced thriller that left you wondering who the real killer is until the last pages of the book.

Thank you Netgalley, Scene of the Crime and William Morrow for the advanced readers copy. I leave my review voluntarily.

I thought this was an amazing and powerful thriller. It starts with an intriguing and spot-on description of school aged children and how they think and act. We get to then watch how one thing can impact an ever widening circle of people.

Erin Reese, now a veterinarian, grew up in a small town, Wolf Point, on a farm. Her father was sent to prison for an accident that took a child’s life. Her mother disappeared one day when Erin was young, as did many others. When she reached college age, she couldn’t wait to leave town, get away from the horrors she left there, and never return. But then she gets a call that her father is seriously ill and in the hospital. She returns to spend time with him and help him recover. While there, she attempts to reconnect with her best friend from childhood, Robbie Tabaha. The things that happened in his youth also haunt him. While back at home, Erin will find herself facing more terror, and that will bring her and Robbie back together

There was one small thing that bothered me. Erin faces some difficulties that cause her to suffer several serious physical injuries. Unfortunately, after first making much of these injuries, all but one or two are quickly forgotten. Given that the author is an MD, I’d think that he should know better than to dismiss these injuries so quickly. I did read an advanced reader copy of this book, so it is possible that this problem was addressed and fixed before publication. In any case, it was not overly important to the story.

This is a powerful and interesting mystery/thriller. The writing is excellent, the characters well and completely drawn, and the plot will keep you turning pages. It will also keep you guessing to the very end.

I enjoyed this book. It was the second book by John Burley that I’ve read by this author, but I hope to read more by him in the future. I highly recommend this book.

I received an advanced reader copy of the book from the publisher through Netgalley. I thank them for their generosity, but it had not effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

Surrender the Dead by John Burley was such a great read! Erin Reece, a woman in her 30’s, is on her way home to Wolf Point, Montana. She has not been back for 15 years. She swore she would never return. However, she got a call that her father is gravely ill so she must return. When Erin was a child many residents of Wolf Point went missing, never to be found again. The last person to go missing was her own mother. This disappearance has shaped her life and is the reason she never wanted to return. Once Erin gets back to Wolf Point, she gets drawn back into the mystery of the missing people.
This book had so many factors that I loved. I really enjoy the character of Erin. The chapters alternate between present day and in the 90s, chronicling the different missing people and what Erin was doing back then. It really made for a well-developed character that you felt like you knew personally. I don’t want to go to too much detail but this is one of the most original mysteries I have read. I thought I had it figured out but I was totally wrong. The town of Wolf Point was another character that I loved. Burley’s descriptions of it were so detailed that I felt like I’ve been there. I hated to finish this book because I had grown to love the characters and the town. Thank you to net galley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Like a freight train barreling down the tracks to reach its final destination, I could not stop reading this until I reached the very thrilling conclusion and final sentence.
Erin Reece left town fifteen years ago after her mother and a dozen others went missing and distance grew between her and her father. Now she's back after her father's doctor calls to tell her her father's in bad shape and she should come home. When she arrives she learns the remains of a body has been found on her father's farm dredging up the memories and history the town has tried to move on from. Told from a then and now narrative, this tightly wound novel builds in suspense as the events of the past come to light. Gripping in its intensity and atmospheric in its settings this one grabs hold and doesn't let go. Although there is a sizable cast I had no problem following along and keeping them all straight. I enjoyed the development of the characters as their stories unfold between the past and present timelines. And that conclusion! It had me holding my breath with anticipation and was completely satisfied when I was finally able to let it out and breath normally again. If you're a thriller lover who likes to be kept in suspense right up to the end, I'm sure you'll want to add this to your TBR pile ASAP.

📚 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 / 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝗪 📚⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Title: #SurrenderTheDead
Author: @thejohnburley
Publisher: @williammorrowbooks
Pub Date: 1/12/21⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
Type: #eBook (thanks @netgalley)
Genre: #Mystery⁣⁣⁣ #Thriller
Must Read Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⁣⭐⁣⭐

My thoughts:

I have so much to unpack about this book. First off, I almost missed out on reading this and that thought DEVESTATES me, considering this is one of the most fantastic mystery/thriller novels I have read in a long time. I never heard of this author until I saw something posted in the "Scene Of The Crime" Facebook group that is run by William Morrow. I jumped on the chance to download the book on Netgalley after seeing so many rave reviews, and this one lived up to all the hype and more.

For me, a book that is super creepy, gory AND gruesome is the perfect trifecta. While I've seen many reviews that this is a slow burn thriller, I disagree. I think Burley did a fantastic job of setting the scene and for someone who really likes fast paced thrillers, the build-up was actually preferred in this case. There was a lot of back and forth detail between each chapter and I really appreciated how seamless the transitions from past to present were in this novel. Let's not forget about the setting of this book ... if you're a fan of chilling and unsettling small towns, you'll definitely want to read this one. For 3 years, 16 people went missing without a trace. If that doesn't make you never want to leave your house, I don't know what will! You could literally feel Wolfe Point's ghosts swirling around you as the chapters unfolded.

And I saved the best for last ... THE ENDING. Oh my word, guys. I was physically sweating. My heart was pounding through my chest and I honestly felt like I was going to pass out. For about 20 pages, it was a complete rollercoaster ride and packed a PUNCH. I'll be thinking of this book for a very long time. And my friend Mellie said it best - this is one that will have you sleeping with the lights on!

To be honest, I wasn't sure about this book and if I would be able to get into the story. By the end of chapter one, I was already hooked. John Burley's storytelling ability is top notch! I would have loved for Surrender the Dead to continue on. Burley has you hanging on his every word and trying to figure out the mystery before anyone else can. His characters are likeable and relatable. Burley's writing is easy to read, understand and follow. His chapters are the perfect length; not too short and not too long.
Decades ago, Wolf Point used to be the kind of town everyone would want to raise a family in, but then people, adult and kids alike starting disappearing. Sometimes adults disappear for no reason, but kids don't. Erin Reece has lived through this reality. Her mom disappeared twenty years ago and has never been found. Stories and rumors have long circled around the disappearance, but no one knows the truth. After a body is found on her father's property, old feelings come back around and suddenly everyone in the town is up in arms looking for justice. Who killed this person and where are the other missing people?
You will think you have the mystery solved, but think again....... John Burley keeps you on your toes! I will definitely be recommending this book, Surrender the Dead to others and will be looking for other works by Burley. Special Thanks to NetGalley, John Burley, and William Morrow and Custom House Publishing for the Advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 5 stars #SurrendertheDead #NetGalley

John Burley tucks readers into the minds of not only his protagonists but into the aching psyche of the entire town of Wolf Point in his latest novel, “Surrender the Dead.” When Erin heads back to her hometown to care for her ill father after a 15 year absence she quickly finds herself falling back into the town’s vortex after discovering human remains were discovered on her father’s farm.

As Burley coaxes the narrative along readers discover that Wolf Point is a town that has been grappling with an old wound that has only festered over the years as the questions about the missing have lingered on. With the discovery of the body at her father’s farm, Erin is quickly thrust back into the town’s drama as she is forced to remember how her mother became one of the missing.

“Surrender the Dead” bounces back and forth in time as Burley leaves readers a trail of breadcrumbs to solve the question of not only who took Wolf Point’s residents, but why. The story doesn’t just examine Erin’s history with the town, but all those who were impacted by the disappearances as the narrative tells the story of how different characters were taken and how the survivors have been unable to move on from that dark time.

Burley’s thriller offers a riveting tale as he explores the nuances of small town life and how the town’s secrets have haunted the residents for decades. Thriller fans will enjoy Burley’s twists and turns until the final moment when he reveals who really is behind the town’s collective grief.

John Burley does a fantastic job at writing an edge of your seat thriller. I’m the small town of Wolf Point several people go missing over a couple of years. Amount them is Erin’s mom. Now, 15 years later Erin returns to Wolf’s point due to her father’s illness. When she returns she finds out that a body has been found on the farm she grew up on. There are several story lines to the book which keeps it entertaining. This is the perfect creepy story line.


Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

John Burley's Surrender the Dead opens on a snowy day in northeast Montana, as 8-year-old Angela disappears on her way to sled with her friends. 15 years later, one of those friends, Erin Reece, reluctantly returns to Wolf Point (an area with a long history of people going missing).

Then human remains are found on the farmland of Erin's father. As more bodies are found, town feeling grows against him - and Erin. I didn't see the conclusion coming - and neither will you.

What a great psychological thriller! This story will have you guessing pretty much until the end.
Erin Reece left Wolf Point after high school, and hasn’t retuned, leaving behind her father and best friend Robbie. The town leaves Erin with too many sad memories. When Erin gets a call that her father is in the hospital, she has no choice, but to return to Wolf Point to check on him. When Erin is told a body was found buried on her father’s property, Erin is taken back to her past in Wolf Point when people were disappearing without a trace. As the police set their sites on Erin’s father as the possible person who was kidnapping people in the past. Erin knows her father isn’t guilty of the crimes the police and towns people are accusing her father of. Erin, her father and Robbie are all holding secrets from the past, which may provide insight to the bodies, but Erin also knows she has to do whatever she can to clear her fathers name.

Thank you Scene of the Crime and William Morrow for this ARC

Surrender the Dead was a terrifying tale of a small town haunted by its very citizens disappearing without a trace. Since the cases remained unsolved, the people of Wolf Point, Montana were never able to find closure with the town’s painful past. Then a body is uncovered. The raw wounds of the past ripped open once more.

I grew up in a small town, it was exceedingly easy to imagine the damage and the weight of the disappearances held over the people of Wolf Point. Surrender the Dead was dead on with the single-minded want of retribution, however biased it may be, what it might cost to achieve it, and how damaging assumptions can be.

Erin was such a strong and resilient character. I loved that Erin was a veterinarian – that she graduated from Colorado State and built her practice in Fort Collins (which is near me). She constructed a life for herself in an attempt to leave Wolf Point and the painful disappearances – including her mother. Her relationship with her father is one that shared similarities with my own – even pulling calves. Robbie and Matta were also outstanding characters. I loved the journey through Robbie and Erin’s childhood and then her heartwarming relationship with Robbie’s father when she returns to Wolf Point.

A body may have unearthed, yet the bigger question remains – is Wolf Point and its townspeople prepared for the repercussions of it? Not everyone will escape the ghosts of the past unscathed and in a small town – people know more than you think they do. I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy thrillers, small towns, rural settings, mysteries, and suspense. A huge thank you to William Morrow, John Burley, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this fantastic thriller – all opinions are my own.