I was really excited to read Heartbreak Bay which is the 5th book in the Stillhouse Lake Series. I LOVED the first book and still think about the story line to this day, so I jumped at the chance to read Heartbreak Bay. I really wanted to love this one but it didn't meet my high expectations.

Heartbreak Bay follows Gwen Proctor and her family who has been through some very very traumatic experiences. This book is no different, Gwen and her family are being targeted by a silent killer while dead bodies are being found. Gwen and her detective friend Kezia start to investigate the killings and slowly realize the person that is at most risk is Gwen.

This book does put you on the edge of your seat. However, at some point it stops being believable and the characters actions start to become repetitive. If you are a fan of suspensive books check out this series, I would recommend starting with the first book because each book builds on to the characters and introduces more characters so you have some background information of Gwen and her family.

Running from the internet trolls who continue to seek out Gwen Proctor and her children, have they finally have found peace? Unknown to her, Gwen’s former husband was a serial killer and his notoriety has made it impossible for them to live a normal life. Gwen’s friend, Detective Kezia Claremont, is called to the horrifying scene of a car submerged in a lake with two babies strapped into their car seats. No sight of the mother and no witnesses, just the 911 call. Kezia, recently pregnant, is determined to find the person responsible for the death of these babies. The danger escalates as they search for the killer and as the trolls once again find Gwen and her children. Will they never find a safe place to live? A compelling suspense series and I have enjoyed the gift that was author Rachel Caine. Ms. Caine passed away on November 1, 2020, following a battle with soft tissue sarcoma. She and her talent will be missed. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Rachel Caine has done an amazing job of keeping the readers on the edge of their seats as Gwen Proctor and family are involved time after time in danger due to the fact that her husband was a serial killer. No matter where Gwen and her children move their past eventually comes out and they are harassed in person and on-line.
After settling into a nice life in Knoxville with things seeming to go well, the harassment starts up again with emails, notes, posters showing up. This time the threats seem to come from someone who has eyes on her and her friends and family. The closer she gets to finding the culprit, the more dangerous the threats become. Finally, Gwen is forced to come face-to-face with her torturer or he will injure those that she loves.
Gwen is a strong independent woman but she is finally learning to trust and let people help her. She is finally at a place where she can let go of her ex-husband's whispers and trust in her own strength.
The title of this book, Heartbreak Bay, is appropriate for readers of this series as it is the last book written by Rachel Caine before her death - we will miss her but at least she left Gwen Proctor in a good place for the series to end.
I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

A psychological thriller of the highest thrill!! Thrills and chills are in store for you!! A brilliant read!!

The fifth and final book in the Stillhouse Lake thriller series due to the author's passing from a rare cancer last November. RIP, much beloved author.

In this latest book, Norton (TN) police detective Kezia Claremont involves her friend Gwen Proctor in her capacity as a private investigator in a case involving the disappearance of a young woman whose twin daughters were found drowned, strapped in their car seats. She asks Gwen to dig into the young woman's past, and as Gwen does, she discovers a far-reaching web of deception. Before she knows it, her own family is entangled, endangering them all.

Gwen and Kezia are such strong female protagonists, fierce in their desire to protect their loved ones and fight evil. These characters and others that Rachel Caine created in this series will be greatly missed.

I received an arc of this thriller via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity.

Poor Gwen can’t catch a break. Things are good. She is happy with Sam and the kids in a new town. But the past has come back to haunt her and taken cop and friend Kezia along for the ride in this thrilling last entry into the Stillhouse Lake series. This is a mind blowing, thrilling rollercoaster of a tale that will leave you breathless. A fitting end.
I read this book with my heart in pieces as I knew it would be the last gift from Rachel Caine may she rest in peace.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/03/04/heartbreak-bay-by-rachel-caine/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

I struggled to get myself to read  <strong>Heartbreak Bay</strong>, only difficult, because I know it is the last in this <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/201150-stillhouse-lake" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Stillhouse Lake</strong></em></a> series.  But it is also the last book from an author I have loved, in every genre she has written.  The only series I haven't read of her work is the <em><strong>Weather Warden</strong></em> series which is one of her earlier series.

Gwen, Sam and the kids are living in Knoxville and they are happy.  Of course, one of the group who thinks Gwen was guilty starts coming after them with smart and scary precision attacks, and some sloppy ones.   There's also a suspicious death of twin baby girls back near Stillhouse Lake which Kezia vows to find their mother and/or their killer.

Gwen helps Kezia with research and discovers the mother has multiple other identities and other probable crimes.  Their investigations are a wild and scary ride.  The dead bodies pile up quickly. I don't want to share more details which might spoil something. But always Gwen and Kez are there for each other, and Gwen and her family are strong and love each other.

I love this series, and this fitting end which gives us a thrilling and layered tale with serial killers.  Gwen shows intelligence, bravery and fortitude while suffering the worst fears and events. <strong>Heartbreak Bay</strong> is terrifying, fast-paced, and inspiring.  Throughout, Gwen chooses kindness and love with strength and compassion.

I can never go wrong with a book in this series by Rachel Caine. Gwen's story from the very beginning will strike you and you just can't help but follow her to see how to investigates other killers. What a wild ride and just like all the others in this series, I couldn't put it down. Thanks to NetGally and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Sadly, the author passed prior to this conclusion of the Stillhouse Lake series being published. This was one of the best installments yet, so it is sad to say goodbye to these characters, particularly in light of why. Although the author was unsure of her prognosis when she completed the book, the story does have a satisfying ending. Like the others in this series, it’s told from multiple viewpoints, but this time we also get Detective Kezia’s point of view. This story also features a deliciously evil bad guy who I wouldn’t have minded seeing his own series on!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Heartbreak Bay is the 5th Stillhouse Lake procedural thriller by Rachel Caine. Due out 9th March 2021 from Amazon on their Thomas & Mercer imprint, it's 335 pages and will be available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This was a well written book with an engaging protagonist and very well built up scenery and an undeniable sense of place. Ms. Caine writes very capably and the setting was very real for me throughout. Although this is the 5th book in the series, I had no trouble reading it as a standalone book or keeping track of the characters and understanding their relationships with one another secondary to the plot.

My only problems came from the graphic brutality and on-page violence. This is, admittedly, clearly marketed as a procedural serial killer thriller - I'm definitely not placing the blame elsewhere than my own curiosity in picking it up. The writing and pacing are quite good, the plotting and narrative arc move along at a solid pace, and the climax and denouement were tension filled and scary. I think the elements which were drawbacks for me personally will be counted as advantages for fans of the genre.

Scary and tense but well written. Four stars. I would recommend it for fans of Thomas Harris, Kendra Elliot, Jeffrey Deaver, and John Sandford. *brr*.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I’ve spent many hours riveted by the Stillhouse Lake series, and this installment was no exception. On the edge of your seat, thrilling suspense, and the twist at the end - Rachel Caine has a knack for all three!
May the great Rachel Caine rest in peace - she is missed.

Let me start out by saying I will truly miss the writings of Rachel Caine. I'm saddened by her illness and passing. Her morganville vampire series is how I first was introduced to her books. They remain one of my favorite series to this day. Heartbreak bay starts out a bit slow, but quickly picks up.

Wow!! This was one heck of a psychological thriller . This book was one that I couldn’t put down and it kept you on the edge of your seat right up until the last page. This is definitely a must read - you may want to keep the lights on though! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read the previous 2 books in Rachel Caine's series and really liked them. Heartbreak Bay was pretty good but the story moved along a little slower than the previous two books. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for a unbiased review.

When Detective Kezia Claremont called Gwen Proctor in the middle of the night, it was the beginning of a deadly, cruel and heartbreaking time in their lives. Kez had been called to a motor vehicle in a nearby pond – the sheriff who’d found it discovered two bodies inside; little girls strapped into their seats. The mother was missing, and her partner was also missing, but he’d been gone for twelve months.

Gwen, Sam and the two children, Lanny and Connor had been happy since their move but always, the under currents of the past lingered. Kez knew all about Gwen’s past and their friendship was strong. But as the bodies mounted, so did the threats and innuendoes. Someone with nothing to lose was after Gwen, and they would stop at nothing. But Gwen would do anything to keep her loved ones safe – did that mean chasing a killer with very little to go on?

Heartbreak Bay is the 5th – and probably the last after the tragic death of the author - in the Stillhouse Lake series. Rachel Caine had a knack with her words – she had me from the very first page, to the last. I read the 1st in the series – Stillhouse Lake - but still have #2, #3 and #4 to read. Although I haven’t read them all, I would definitely recommend they be read in order – my benefit was having read the first – as without the prior knowledge of Gwen’s past, Heartbreak Bay wouldn’t be as enjoyable. An incredible, twisty thrill ride, this psychological thriller is one I recommend highly.

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

"Love isn't greed. Greed always wants more. Love is rich enough in itself, by itself. It doesn’t need more."

Heartbreak Bay is the fifth installment of the Stillhouse Lake series, and with the recent passing of Rachel Caine, I am sad that it is the last one in this series.

The story begins with a heartbreaking crime scene where bodies of two girls were strapped in a car submerged in a remote pond. Their mother vanished without a trace and detective Kezia Claremont seeks the help of Gwen Proctor in this case.

Compared with the previous books of this series, I find this one to be more character driven. But it is definitely not lacking in suspense. The plot was interesting and had me guessing who was behind the crime. However, I did find some parts of the story was really slow before things picked up again.

Although this book can be read as standalone, I would recommend reading this series in order so you would understand the backstories and character development better.

I really liked this book and it is a great addition to this series. Overall, Stillhouse Lake is a great series, with solid plots and great characters. I'd recommend this series to all suspense/thriller/mystery readers!

Pub. date: March 9th 2021

***Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this review copy to read and review.***

All right. Let’s do it. First off #fuckcancer second. I’m mad. And then I got sad. Reading #rachelcaine #authornote throat punched me. She passed away and just 😭😭 anyway #heartbreakbay is part of a series. I’m sad I’ve just discovered it. Sad I didn’t read the others. Yet. It’s a mystery suspense novel. Her writing is amazing and on point. I was guessing. And then ending 😳 I’m not sure where this saga goes or if indeed this is the end. But. Definitely grab this. Thank you to #netgalley for allowing me the pleasure of getting acquainted with @rachelcainewriter I wish I had discovered her sooner. With that being said I’ll still #fangirl her. Rachel you’re amazing talents will be missed. #bookstagram #netgalleyreview #readersofinstagram the hashtags don’t seen fitting however I want people to notice. To buy. To read. And to support. ❤️

4.5 stars

This is the fifth book in the Stillhouse Lake series by Rachel Caine.

I was really sad to see this story end. I know there won’t be another one since Ms. Caine passed away sometime last year. I love her stories. This one is a particular awesome one. I know it wasn’t meant to be an ending but it serves as a good one.

This story jumped back and forth between Gwen’s point of view and Kezia’s. It did get a bit confusing at times when I wasn’t cognizant about whose chapter I was in. That is probably my only niggle about this.

Overall great pacing and character development. I hope no one has to go through the things that Gwen and her family do. Lesser people would be regulated to a quivering mass of jelly.

Definitely read this series from the beginning. You want to do that for sure. It is worth it, trust me. I need to dig into some other series by Rachel Caine because she is just that good. What a loss to the writing community. All my best to her family.

If you like mystery/thrillers, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

This book is the fifth installment in the Stillhouse Lake series that follows Gwen Proctor as she builds a life for herself and her children after finding out that her husband is a brutal serial killer. Along the way, Gwen encounters many who would bring them harm, believing she was involved in her ex-husbands horrible actions. Gwen is joined by a strong group of friends including Sam, her love interest, and Kezia Claremont, a police officer.

In Heartbreak Bay, Gwen, who is now living in Knoxville and working as a PI, is called in to help her friend Kez with a horrifying case. As is typical with Caine's books in this series, the story moves quickly and kept me very engaged throughout.

While you could read this book as a standalone, I recommend reading the series in order for the backstories and character development.

Sadly, the author passed away in November, 2020 and this will be the end of this series. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and the characters.

Thank you to Rachel Caine and her family and team, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

It’s tough because I’ve read this complete series and I know the author has sadly passed away. But they’re so dark, so terribly dark and I feel like that darkness has overwhelmed any cleverness in the plotting and I find it a very uncomfortable space to be in.