Another great read from Rachel Caine. I love this series and this book was no different. Great mystery and such an intricately woven mystery!

I am both happy and sad to be writing this review. Happy because I was thrilled to get this arc, I have loved this series. Sad because it is the last book Rachel Caine ever wrote since she has sadly passed away.

This was another fabulous entry in the series. Gwen Proctor’s detective friend, Kezia, catches a case where a car found in a pond has two little girls, about 12 months old, strapped into car seats in the back. They are dead of course. There is no sign of the driver. Kezia asks Gwen (who is now a licensed PI for some help with background and with finding the mother and/or father. Little did either of them know that this request for help would start the hate campaign again.

You really need to read these books in order. There are only 5 in the series and will never be any more. But for background - Gwen Proctor used to be known as Gina Royal and was married to Melvin Royal, a serial killer who butchered women in the family’s garage. Many, many people could not believe that Gina/Gwen did not know what was happening. Many even suspected her of helping. The online trolling became vicious and Gina had to change her name and that of the two children and move house many times to get away from the haters. One of the worst was her current partner, Sam Cade, but that is now all water under the bridge and they have learned to trust each other. They thought they were finally past all that when it started up again. Only this time it’s different. This time it seems more serious, more dangerous.

The family are being targeted again by an anonymous and very hostile person who stalks the internet and who wants Gwen to pay for her crimes (the ones she didn’t commit) and he doesn’t care if he stomps all over her children to get to her. This time Gwen and Kezia must face almost certain death alone to end the vicious campaign. It was great to see the growth of all the characters, particularly these two strong women as they fought the evil. Sam took a backseat this time around as Gwen entrusted him with her precious children. The children have grown so much, seen so much and had so much pain and yet they have turned into strong and capable almost adults.

The ending was, as you would expect, very pulse pounding! I have loved every minute of every book in this series and recommend it highly to all the thriller lovers out there. Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing a review copy. Special thanks to Rachel Caine for the hours of pleasure I have derived from her books. I wish she was still with us. My opinions are my own.

I got my hands on this book and dropped everything to immediately dive in! I love this series!

Heartbreak Bay was another fast paced adrenaline ride. The suspense ramps up and up until POW! 💥 The reader is left with one epic, action packed conclusion.

In this installment Gwen joins up with Kezia to find the missing mom of two girls, found dead in a car in a submerged pond. These two will stop at nothing to find the killer and the missing mom...unless someone stops them first.

It’s always so nice to reunite with the Proctor family! As this is book 5, I’m completely invested in these characters. This series always delivers a punch and this installment was no exception. 4⭐️ My thanks to @amazonpublishing for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

Sadly, Rachel Caine passed away after a battle with cancer before this book could be published. I’m sad to see this series come to an end, but this was a final and fitting conclusion to an awesome series.

Thank you, Rachel, for sharing the Proctor family with us. RIP. ♥️

Loved this book! A great addition to the series with a kick ass heroine!
5 stars! Her dead ex husband still haunts her but now there is someone more sinister threatening her family.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I put off reading this book because the author, Rachel Caine, passed away a few months ago and I know it'll be the last of the Stillhouse Lake series. But I am glad I picked it up! It was a nail-biting finish to the series.

Kez calls Gwen to a crime scene where two little girls were drowned in the back of a car - the mother is missing. Then, some Gina Royal stalkers appear in town, Gwen and the family start getting harassed again. This at first seems like the same old story, but then more bodies start to pile up and the crime at the beginning intertwines with the harassment. I particularly enjoyed the chapters from Kezia's point of view.

At the very end, there is an author note where Rachel Caine acknowledges her illness and that she does not know if this will be her last book. It brought me to tears. I am sad to see the end of the series, and sadder that Caine is gone. Rest easy, Rachel - you'll be missed.

Another nail-biter from Rachel Caine! This book is a fast-paced, well-written thriller. Gwen Proctor has another nasty fight on her hands. I really liked the suspense and action in this story.

Going into this book was extremely hard knowing this wonderful author lost her battle with a horrendous killer.

Gwen and her family just never seem to catch a break.
This has been a suspenseful edge of your seat series that never lets up. This installment was creepy and chilling.
A testament to a author that will live on through her amazing words.

Book Review: Heartbreak Bay (Stillhouse Lake #5) by Rachel Caine
(Published by Thomas & Mercer, March 9, 2021)

4.5 Stars.

Stillhouse Lake, Book 1.

Gina Royal, a shy Midwestern soccer mom drives home one evening with her two children. She finds a gaggle of emergency vehicles, flashing strobe lights and law enforcement personnel on her front lawn, now cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape.

An accident had happened. Someone in an out-of-control vehicle had crashed and busted wide open the walls of their garage, her husband Mel's converted private workshop.

A horrible home insurance matter to be dealt with, for sure.

But there was something else.

Found inside the garage was a gruesome scene of bodies and body parts...


Heartbreak Bay, Book 5.

Gwen Proctor, licensed private investigator, krav maga trained, pistol-packing sharp-shooter is a self-assured woman.

Mom of Lanny and Connor, she now lives with her new soul mate, and adopted father to her children, Sam Cade, who is, ironically the brother of one of the victims of her serial killer ex-husband.

All the family wants is to be left alone peacefully and slowly erase memories of their traumatic past, beyond accusations of aiding and abetting a serial killer, and, even moreso, beyond the recent kidnapping and rescue of Connor (Book 4).

But Mel Royal, deceased, is still very much alive, haunting the Proctors and friends, his notoriety perpetuated by fanatical adherents of the macabre, vengeful families of his victims, and shady characters on the dark web associated with a Dr. Dave and the Lost Angels.

"...Would you rather kill someone or leave them dying in pain?"

Author Rachel Caine introduces a game of choices called "Would you rather", a foreboding date with "the Fisherman" - the dreadful alter ego of Hannibal Lecter which no one would ever suspect, and the culmination of events at the place where it all begins and ends - Salah Point, North Carolina.

Also known as Heartbreak Bay.

"...I will walk of out this darkness and back into the light, where love is waiting for me.

Love isn't greed. Greed always wants more. Love is rich enough in itself, by itself. It doesn't need any more. I have enough, with Sam and my children.

Enough of everything..."

Poignant words spoken by Gwen Proctor, protagonist, ending Heartbreak Bay, the best in the series saved for last, (Stillhouse Lake Book 5) written by Rachel Caine.

On November 1, 2020, Rachel Caine, the pen name of Roxanne Longstreet Conrad passed. Requiescat in pace.

Non-stop action, suspense-thriller crossing several genres, with all the characters - Gwen, Lanny, Connor, Sam, Kezia, Javi - brought to life.

Review based on an ARC from Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley.

What an exhilarating thriller. I have been incredibly fortunate to discover the "Stillhouse Lake" series and I am saddened to part with Gwen Proctor and her family and friends. The story opens with officer Kezia Claremont discovering two children strapped inside a car submerged in a pond with their mother nowhere to be found. Kezia is heartbroken and even with the police investigating this case, she calls her best friend a private detective Gwen Proctor for assistance. As Kezia and Gwen investigate further, they soon discover the invisible enemy is a greater threat than perceived.

In "Heartbreak Bay," the narration is alternated between Gwen, Kezia and Sam. I really appreciate how Kezia had a greater role in this installment. I loved delving into Kezia's thoughts and emotions directly from her own voice. Rachel Caine once again gifted us a well-written suspense thriller with an engrossing plot and a moving character study that myself as reader can't help rooting and forming an emotional connection with. The author once again excels in setting a tense and sinister tone intertwined with elements of motherhood and moral dilemmas in the choices one makes and its consequences that comes along. An enthralling page-turner that had me on the edge of my seat until the end.

On a personal note, one thing that gravitated me to continue this series was the strong female protagonists. I truly love how independent and fierce Gwen, Kezia, Lanny and Vee are. These women all provide different arrays of colors to this story, but they all carry great strength. This series was more than just a simple gripping thriller but an insightful character study addressing prominent social issues and an exploration on characters' internal struggles and their own way in coping with traumas. Rachel Caine wonderfully crafted distinctive voices for each character that was imbued with uniqueness of their own standing. It is rare to see a story with female characters that are strong and courageous and having male protagonists in equal standing and/or as the supporting characters. This is a gruesome book that does not pull back on horrific detail on graphic violence and trauma, however this series is also a moving representation of love, family, friends, forgiveness, hope and strength. This was such an incredible journey to walk alongside Gwen, witnessing her growth in character overtime and the love that transcended above all. I will forever be grateful to Rachel Caine for her dedication and gifting us readers with this powerful series. It is with a heavy heart I must say goodbye, but knowing the mark she left behind through the "Stillhouse Lake" series is a piece of her I can always remember and cherish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Date reviewed: February 16, 2021
Publication date: March 9, 2021

Stillhouse Lake Series is one of my favorite series I’ve read. I really enjoyed following Gwen through all these 5 books, watching her grow from a victim to a strong woman, mother and partner. Just like the previous books this one is fast paced and full of action. I am sadden knowing that this maybe the last book in this series. I wish we could see more of Kezia and her life and watching Gwen’s kids growing up.
RIP Rachel Caine – your writing will be greatly missed!

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer & the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this knowing it would be the last book in the series so i savoured every word. I love how Gwen is written, the strength and determination she has is inspiring and i have loved getting to experience her journey and that of her family. The story was excellent and once again had Gwen putting her skills to the test with the help of Sam. I have loved this series and it felt like a fitting end for them.

I was sad to see that this may be the end of the series, but I have to say that this was a great book from beginning to end. I have been a fan of Rachel Caine for many years, and in my opinion, this is some of her best work!

There is a stranger following Gwen Procter and her family. He has eyes on every member of her family and even a couple of her friends. So when the mysterious MalusNavus gives Gwen an ultimatum, she decides to show up and stop this threat to her life and her family.

This was as bittersweet to read as it was gripping. This is the final book written by this much missed author and I will be blunt and say I wasn’t looking forward to reading this. Oh not because I thought it would be a bad book but purely because I knew it could be heartbreaking. This series has been a triumphant suspense filled ride that shocks, horrifies and reveals the twisted underbelly of the monsters we all live beside however unknowingly.
Our heroine Gwen has battled many enemies but perhaps who she really needs to finally defeat is that little voice persistently whispering inside her head. She’s found a love that she can trust in Sam and finally is ready to stop running from her past . Her children are teenagers, no longer the babies she can protect and hold but evil stalks even their quiet cul de sac. When her friend Kezia reaches out for help of course Gwen goes but neither woman can guess where their journey will take them as they risk everyone they love whilst caught in a psychotic killers twisted game that no can can ever win .
Suspense, horror and evil lies within these pages and I’m always appalled at the depravities humans are capable of and make no mistake although this is fiction there truly are hateful people out there. Yet here again this author shows that love whilst not conquering everything can sustain us through our darkest hours. Usually it’s Gwen and Sam who dominate these stories but this time I was delighted that the author chose to make Kezia a worthy adversary. The subtle nuances about the teenage children ring true and once again their characterisations and reactions feel so real. This is the last book so it does leave this reader wondering just how these battle hardened characters traverse whatever life still has to throw at them but as it ends there is satisfaction, hope for a brighter tomorrow and love.
RIP knowing you gave so many so much pleasure with your work.

This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Like the other in this series, this book is well written and with great characters, and this time the main character is sensible and believable. But still you shouldn't take a break in the middle of a chapter, because you might not remember who the first person is, and get confused. Changing first person POV is just a bad idea.

What a book!! The story unfolded quickly and sucked me right in! Heartbreak Bay uses multiple POVs to narrate the story, but the chapters were clear about who was primary in each one, so there was no confusion. It's a suspenseful thriller about a deranged serial killer who plays a sick and twisted game with his victims. There’s a lot of tension throughout the book and the story kept me gripped until the end. Heartbreak Bay is about choices and is one that I will not forget.

Trigger warning: if you’re easily put off by descriptions of violence this may not be the book for you.

I was so happy to have found another series I loved until I reached the author's notes, where she wrote that she had cancer and she hoped this book wouldn't be her last one about Gwen's story. I checked online this morning and found out Ms. Caine had, in fact, passed away on November 1, 2020. What a huge loss for the reading community.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this extraordinary book.

I have putting off reading this one. Not because I thought it wouldn't be good but because I knew it would be the last book by Rachel Caine. I knew I would love this book just as much as the rest of the series, and I wasn't wrong. Like the other books in the series, this one has lots of action and lots of emotion too.
Thank you Rachel Caine for the wonderful ride. I hope you are looking down and enjoying all the praise for this series and all of your other books. I for one will greatly miss your writing.

Thanks to netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the arc.

I have been anxiously awaiting to read this. I love this series. It's one that totally capitivates you into the story where you feel like everything else can just slide by the wayside until you've reached to end of the book. The storyline is welp thought out, and easy to follow. This whole series is a definite recommend.

This is a bittersweet review. I discovered the 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘬𝘦 series a few years ago, and absolutely loved the first two books. I had to wait for the third to publish, and then was lucky enough to receive advanced reader copies of the fourth and fifth books. Rachel Caine was a talented writer with more than 50 books to her name, and she sadly passed away from cancer in November 2020. Her author’s note at the end of 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘉𝘢𝘺 was indeed heartbreaking, acknowledging her battle with cancer and that she didn’t know if this would be her last book. Sadly, it was her last. The world has lost an amazing writer. ⁣
Many thanks to @netgalley, the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, and of course, the author, @rachelcainewriter for the early gifted copy of 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘉𝘢𝘺. In the final installment of the 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘬𝘦 series, Gwen and Kezia are on the hunt for a serial killer. This killer is invisible, but leaves behind a wake of bodies and tragedy. In a twisty game of cat and mouse, Gwen and Kez are in a race against time to find the killer before any more bodies turn up, as mounting threats against their families become more and more sinister. I loved this book just as much as the other four in this series. I truly wish the series could have continued. ⁣
𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘉𝘢𝘺 publishes on March 9, 2021. I only wish Rachel was here to see it!

Amazing, as this series always is. When I finished, I read the credits, and discovered the the author was very ill, and then that she had passed away. I didn't know this would be the last in the series, but it was a special one.

Wow, what a way to end a series. If I'm being completely honest I nearly didn't read this book as my feelings about the penultimate novel were just a little lukewarm. But I am so glad I read this book, which is probably one of the best of the series and a very fitting end to the story. Highly recommended.