Edge of your seat ride! The twists and turns grabbed me and did not let go. I absolutely loved this book. The best part is that as I was reading the story, I was imagining the movie. I saw every character as a real movie actor playing the part. Simply amazing! I can’t wait to read another of Mr. Hough’s books.

Police Officer Mary Whittaker constitutes the entire police force of Silvertown, a small, isolated mountain town, while her boss takes a brief personal leave. She gradually grows suspicious of a string of strange incidents. They are out of the ordinary, even for this town that already has more than its share of weird elements - Big Foot is a tourist attraction, and the town boasts an abandoned military base, a toxic mine site and a ghost town.

I liked the build up of this story as Mary put the clues together. The last 20 to 25% of the book is basically an action sequence. Many people enjoy all that action, but I thought it dragged on too long. I was expecting a horror or sci fi story, and that is not what I got. This is a thriller. I also thought that the premise behind the strange events was shaky at best. Really, the goals could have been, and are being, accomplished with so much less effort. The book did hold my interest though. 3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

What a thrilling, dark, small town mystery.

I knew it was going to be a good thriller when the blurb opening said: "Welcome to Silvertown. Population: 602 (for now)." Are you serious?! Give it to me immediately, I don't even need to know the rest.

In this book, the main character, Officer Mary Whittaker, is new in town. She has to pick up some work after her boss who's on leave, but the recent events seem too weird to comprehend. In fact, the residents are pretty much behaving like zombies (think walking in front of moving vehicles, mysterious deaths...). It literally seems like everyone is the mountain town is possessed. But are they?

I don't want to give away any spoilers, especially because I think going into this book blind like I did is actually a must to get the utimate shocking factor, but let's just say it's really unique story. I read it under the blankets with a cup of tea while it was pouring rain outside, which felt just so good with this mystery.

I would have totally given it 5 stars, but I've read so many excellent thrillers lately that I don't think it's fair because there were some parts where I really had to suspend my disbelief.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This intrigued me as I had just finished Wayward Pines by Blake Crouch and it seemed to have a lot of similarities. A small town, the people behaving strangely, resulting in several deaths, a new police officer trying to figure out what is going on. It was a good, quick read, perfect for the beach. I did find parts of the plot very implausible and the ending rather unresolved, but all in all a decent read. Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC.

Mary Whittaker has only been a police officer in the very small town of Silvertown a few months when strange things start to happen. Granted the town is known for its weirdness as her boss Greg likes to remind her, but what would make a teenager who never goes outside die hiking in the wilderness, and a helicopter mother suddenly leave her baby twins home alone for hours? Something is wrong, but with her boss Greg on vacation it’s up to her as the only police officer to figure it out.

I find it hard to put Instinct in only one book category as it’s a suspenseful action thriller that had me turning the pages long into the night to read what happened next, along with appealing detailed characters, and a plot that wonderfully twists right up to the end. My only complaint is about the end of the book. I wish there was a little more resolution to the plot and we could see what happens to the town, Mary and Kyle in the immediate future.
It seems a little rushed and unfinished written as it is.