Reading in Between the Wines book review #109/130 for 2024:
Rating: 4 🍷🍷🍷🍷
Book: No Going Back
Author: T.R. Ragan
Available now!!

Sipping thoughts: I really enjoyed this series and hated it to end. I know the Black Wigs were doing something illegal, but I absolutely loved the why behind it. Now that there are so many copycat vigilantes, it is hard for justice to be served. I couldn’t wait to find out if Sawyer would uncover the identity of The Black Wigs and if she would feel obligated to turn them in. I liked the storyline of the “victims” and it was pretty easy to figure out who the main killer was.

Cheers and thank you to @ThomasAndMercer and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @NoGoingBack.

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The first time I came across TR Ragan work it was by accident, and ever since I haven't stop reading her books! I even own a t-shirt from one of her book tours! Every series she has penned has been, in my honest opinion, AMAZING! I am a thriller gal, I would always be reading about serial killers, mysteries, etc. Book 3 from Sawyer series is no exception. Its action packed as usual and well written, full of twists and turns, once again rooting for the hero! Can't wait to see this turn into a movie!

A compelling and multifaceted exploration of justice, revenge, and the unforeseen consequences of pursuing truth. With its well-developed characters, intricate plot dynamics, and relentless suspense, the novel delivers a gripping reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and author T.R. Ragan for the opportunity to review the advance copy of this book.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

This is a cautionary tale about revenge and its effect. You be the judge and the jury. This is a well-executed thriller: the suspense is intense and the characters are believable yet flawed.

Another riveting, can't put down, read from the thrilling, edge of your seat writer TR Ragan.
Book 3 in Sawyer Brooks.

Fast paced crime fiction.

i started this series on a whim a couple months ago (i actually think this was the last book so… trilogy) and i was hooked right away! the 3 sisters were my fave, they were all so badass in their own ways. hints of backstory & alternating POV’s was a plus! definitely going to check out more books by T.R. Ragan! i believe this series is available on kindle unlimited for all you kindle readers!

a huge thank you to netgalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

After seeing a lot of positive feedback for No Going Back, I was excited to read it but unfortunately I feel it fell a little flat. The story line seemed slow to develop, and while I found the latter quarter of the book to be quite exciting, it felt somewhat chaotic in comparison to the pace of the rest of it. I wish I felt more thrill earlier on.

The black wigs are at it again, serving justice to those who seem to escape it at every turn. Sawyer Brooks has been on the story from the beginning but she realizes that there is more going on with these women than just being vigilantes. Meanwhile copy cats are popping up all over the place and it's getting harder to keep it all seperated. When someone is killed and the death doesn't fit into the black wigs modus operandi in anyway Sawyer knows something evil is happening. She is resolute in her journey to find answers but there is someone out there determined to stop her before she finds out to much. Follow along to see if Sawyer can find the truth she seeks or if a killer will get to her first.

No Going Back by T.R. Ragan is the third instalment in the Sawyer Brooks series but reads very well on its own. Sawyer is a crime reporter working on an investigation into suspected vigilantes. Five women have formed a group with the eventual intent to seek vengeance on sexual predators who have ruined their lives. The public knows them as The Black Wigs. Sawyer must identify each woman and establish who harmed them. Then a copycat starts on a rampage of their own, confusing the police and the press. Sawyer is madly chasing leads while trying to prevent more crimes while the police are resenting her interference. This is a cautionary tale about revenge and its effect. You be the judge and the jury. This is a well-executed thriller: the suspense is intense and the characters are believable yet flawed. This is a strong series and I look forward to the next instalment. Highly recommended. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Female vigilantes called the black wigs seek justice. Reporter sawyer brooks is an investigation reporter as sawyer follows the story it seems that someone is following her .

I enjoy the Sawyer Brooks tales, especially the 3 sisters, alternating POV & hints of backstory. I do feel there was a bit of rush, attempting to tie it all up in a neat bow but it was still a good read. Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read the ARC.

FANTASTIC thriller with a suspenseful vigilante theme. Totally enjoy this series with great characters & an abundance of intrigue & great finales. RECOMMEND totally .Thanks to NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for this ARC in return for my honest review.

I continue to enjoy this series and the Sawyer Brooks character. She is badass and finally (slight spike territory), she is moving on to a new job (by the end of the novel) which was expected and I have to say, a pleasant development.

Continually I am surprised that there are people in the world who fit the description of the people (read: assholes) who live in there stories. I know there are and I just can’t believe that it happens and continues to happen. Why can’t we all just get along and be happy and respect one another? I know it’s not as easy as saying that, but I do wonder, and authors like Ragan and characters like Sawyer help to think through these idea and try and come to some realization of how to fix it. Is violence the way? As a pacifist, I’d say no, but there are always exceptions to that, I suppose. Regardless, let’s figure out how we can be good to one another. Period.

Our legal system is not always fair. Women are abused but they don't always get justice. So a small group of ladies go about finding justice on their own. They become an icon with other copycat groups. Sawyer is an investigator journalist that goes hunting for the true story. This is a story that has plenty of action. As the story unfolds we meet plenty of dodgy people. I like that Sawyer never gives up and gets her story. Along the way there are surprises, twists and turns. I thought this was a good story. Sawyer has my vote.

Some interesting events in this book. I recommend starting this series from the beginning due to all the backstories. Highly recommend this series!

Sawyer Brooks, crime reporter, is on the trail of The Black Wigs ... a group of 5 women wearing black wigs and blood red lipstick lash out wit fury and vengeance at men who had committed crimes against these woman ... but were never charged, or found guilty. The Black Wigs call it justice ....

Whatever you want to call it ... murder ... karma ... the whole idea of making them pay is catching on. There are copycat vigilantes capturing men, forcing them to admit what they've done and then put the videos on social media and into the hands of cops.

The Black Wigs have never killed a man .. until recently and that's after the men are tortured. But Sawyer believes the latest two murders belong to a copycat ... but how is she going to prove it? And who are the The Black Wigs?

Book 3 of this trilogy is jam packed with action, a cleverly written plot, twists and turns that lead to a surprising unexpected conclusion. The murders are brutal .. The characters are finely drawn. This is not a stand-alone read. The books need to be read in order to see how the characters and their agenda change over time. Excellent reading!

Many thanks to the author / Thomas & Mercer / Amazon Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I almost didn't read this...but I'm glad that I did. No Going Back is a fast paced story about retribution and revenge, right and wrong. The subject matter is dark and not for everyone. I really liked Sawyer. She is tough but vulnerable and basically honest. At the end of the story she has to make some decisions that some may not agree with....but it is up to the individual reader to make up their own mind. She really grew into her own person in the course of this book and had to make a choice as to what her future will look like.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While Sawyer tries to find the members of the Black Wig team, Harper’s life is spiraling out of control. Only Aria seems to finally finding some happiness. Slowly everything is making terrible sense and Sawyer has to face the possibility that, this time, she might not be able to safe everyone.

I had already read T. R. Ragan’s Faith McMann trilogy so I was aware of the author using a gut wrenching basic theme to drive the story that would come across strongly and would leave you questioning your own moral standing on the subject matter. In the Faith McMann series it was human trafficking and the can of worms that has.
In this series the underlying theme is abuse, primarily sexual abuse, and is to the extent that it may upset some people.

I should also say that while this is the third in this series it is the first that I’ve read. It works as a standalone I would highly recommend reading the previous two books first as some threads from them develop further in this book.

The main character – Sawyer - is dealing with her baggage of having been sexually abused as young child, and so are her two older sisters in their own way with theirs. Her eldest sister, Harper, has joined a group of abused women who have missed out on seeing their abusers face justice and so have instead embarked on a mission to have their abusers learn firsthand what it was like to be to be on the receiving end. Their actions (which seems to have been covered in the previous books) have gained them some publicity as well as the media tag “the Black Wigs” which has three results:
1, time is running out on the Black Wigs to complete the “re-education” of the abusers on their list and
2, they have inspired other victims to copy the Black Wigs and retaliate against their attackers. One copycat in particular is making sure the targets they are after will never live to molest another person, which
3, has Sawyer looking more closely at the crimes of the Black Wigs. Sawyer doesn’t know that her sister is a member of the Black Wigs, and she is certain from her investigations that the latest victims were done by a copycat but the detective in charge does not seem interested in hearing her argument or examining the evidence that has come into her possession. With help from her sister Aria and a work colleague, Sawyer is able to not only separate those crimes committed by the Black Wigs and those by the copycat but also identify the copycat and some members of the Black Wigs.

This was a good, fairly fast paced read, the conclusion will question your stance where on the ethical spectrum your views lie - whether revenge is justice and how far would be too far, as first her family and then Sawyer do something that is illegal, but at the same time understandable.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer publishers for a copy of No Going Back in exchange for an honest review. Hopefully there will be more installments of Sawyer Brookes journey, I for one would be interested in seeing how the character develops.