Olsen never disappoints and this was no exception. So so good! I really enjoyed the unique story and his razor-sharp writing.

I really love the premise of this author's books. They are not your typical mystery/suspense plot, and the characters are interesting to read. I find the plot summaries so interesting that I always pick up the book and then I end up so frustrated. I continue to think a good editor could make these books best sellers. The pacing is not great and the timeline jumps all over the place. It's kind of a wash. Having a great plot idea is the first part to having a great book... I just wish the rest of it could all come together.

I always enjoy Gregg Olsen's books and this one was no exception. It's told primarily from the POV of a police detective named Lindsay, who is reeling from the suicide of her partner while also trying to solve the murder of a young woman found in the woods within her jurisdiction. The murder seems to tie back to another decades- old unsolved murder, which has roots in a cult-like empire built by the enigmatic Marnie Spellman.

The story is told both in real time and flashbacks, and gives the reader some insight into the other players in the story, including the "hive": of women in Marnie's inner circle. This is a storytelling method that I enjoy, and it was interesting to watch the mystery come together from various perspectives. Also, living in WA state, I always enjoy the familiarity of the locations where Olsen sets his stories.

The book was able to connect many seemingly disparate storylines into one, which was pretty cool. In some cases, I made the connection myself early on, but in other cases, I was surprised. There was one twist that I can't believe I didn't see coming, but I was as surprised right along with Lindsay. I am not hugely interested in the topic of cults, but I did find that aspect fascinating in this particular story, and appreciated Lindsay's skepticism that matched my own.

All in all, this was a fast and fun read with a unique storyline and a lot of action. Olsen hasn't let me down yet, and I'd recommend the book to those who like mysteries and thrillers, and especially those who enjoy the tie-in to the Pacific Northwest. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Everyone wants to be part of Marnie's group. She is sensational, smart, cold blooded and pure horror. She is also someone with charisma and charm that makes you desire to be part of her inner circle, the Hive, five women that are the closest to Marnie. They are her foot soldiers, her friends, her confidence. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.
An amazing story. So many twists and turns. Absolutely mind boggling!

I was able to read this book very quickly! It had short, easy to digest chapters and the plot was interesting enough to keep reading. I did feel that the characters were very bland though and there were few surprises with the plot. The changes in POV were occasionally abrupt but I did enjoy their different perspectives. This was a book that is worth a read if the story is interesting to you. I was just hoping for a bit more thrills. I thank #NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and will look forward to the next book by Gregg Olsen.

A murder investigation leads to Marnie Spellman, the founder of a cult like cosmetics empire. Marnie claims that when she was a child, a swarm of bees lifted her into the air and spoke to her. That miraculous encounter led her to create her company and surround herself with a closely guarded inner circle of confidantes. This book sounded right up my alley, but I had a hard time slogging through it. Marnie and the bees are introduced in a brief prologue, then we don't hear anything else about her backstory until nearly a quarter of the way through the book...and that story is what made me pick it up in the first place. There's a lot of other stuff going on and eventually most of it ties together, but I didn't enjoy this one.

What an interesting read! What began as a women's power movement quickly became a cult mix in with murder. Marnie's personality is very strong and yet I think she's more of a sociopath. Her actions are erratic and non-emotional. Although Lindsay did state that Marnie draws on the broken, I don't see all the characters as broken and still was drawn into the Hive. The ending did surprise me. There was nowhere in the story that even hints at the outcome of the story.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for letting me read this interesting ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had a good feeling about this book when I saw the cover and read the description. It gained my interest early on and I could see it was going to have a lot of elements that would appeal to me. Unfortunately it began to get bogged down by unnecessary descriptions of Marnie's teachings, backgrounds of characters who were not important to the story and superfluous information. I was steadily losing interest and as the major plot developments were revealed I was not feeling any suspense or tension.

The Hive is definitely a once off book. I have not read anything like it. Even though unbelievable in the mainstream of our normal, it is written in such a way that the plot can be believed and possibly be happening in places across the world. The death, mystery and impact are extremely well developed and I was guessing and hooked to the end. Highly recommend.

As soon as I saw the overview for this book I knew it was for me... the very mention of the word cult immediately made me want to read it. It turned out out to be a good read but not really very cultish and I think the story was overly long at times making me wish the plot would move a little quicker.
Told from different timelines and points of view it was an interesting premise but I did have an idea what the outcome would be and so no surprises there however it was well written and kept me reading.
I likes the descriptions of the characters they were different, some likeable and some not and so all in all it was a book I enjoyed and would give it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

When a young woman is found dead in Bellingham, Washington, a door to past secrets and lies is thrown open. As Det. Lindsay Jackman works the case, she discovers links to another unsolved murder from 20 years ago. As the case unfolds, signs keep pointing to Spellman Farms, and the enigmatic leader of the Spellman cosmetic dynasty.

There's a lot of beautiful imagery dealing with bees in this book. There was a very slow build as the story unfolded. I also felt that it was a little odd that almost every single character, no matter how minor, seemed to have a chapter or snippet represented. Sometimes, that bogged down the narrative. The story is layered and multidimensional, but the switching of timelines and characters could at times be overwhelming. Still, i found myself staying within the narrative, and found the story to be engaging overall.

I've read many of Olsen's books before and once again another twisted psychological thriller that knocked it out of the park, Even though this is the type of book he often writes he still manages to make each book unique, great character development and excellent unique story with twists I didn't see coming, Thank you to netgalley and William and Mercer and the author for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review,

Gregg Olsen delivered a shocking, dark and twisted whodunit that will even leave the most experienced mystery reader guessing.

This psychological thriller includes lot of deceits, lies and is very addictive and compelling with great characters you will love to hate.

Thank you NetGalley / Thomas & Mercer for providing me with this arc in exchange for a honest review.

That book felt very original! From the setup to the story, it has something unique and, maybe not groundbreaking, but audacious I would say. The writing was also good as were the characters. I had taken a while to read it due to bad prioritizing from my part, but don't lay my delay fooled you, this book is totally worth it. Don't do the same mistake I did and read it right away!!

This was my first book of Gregg Olsen that I have read and what great read it was.the subject matter of beesI found very interesting a very popular subject.The characters are mesmerizing and so many different twists and turns.I would highly recommend this book.

I really wanted to like this book, and there were parts where it was fast paced and interesting. But unfortunately it just became long boring descriptions. Thank you Negalley for the ARC!

This book was just okay for me. It started out strong, but tapered off in the middle. Luckily, it picked back up at the end and tied everything up into a nice, little bow.

The Hive is an intense thriller about murder and cults, but was lacking a page turning element for me. Hopping around through past and present time with the different characters was a bit distracting for me, so maybe that's why it didn't quite hit the mark. All in all, it was interesting, but not enough for me to rave over.

Trigger warnings: postpartum depression, suicide.

***Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book!

The Hive by Gregg Olsen -- 5 Stars
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
ISBN: 9781542016469

The Hive is multilayer, fast-paced, and complex story of murder and suicide occurring over a period of twenty years. Detective Lindsay Jackson is relentless as she uncovers the truth hidden by a group of women, The Hive, who followed the teachings of a charismatic leader. She twisted them into a cult based on a belief in the powers of nature, especially bees. She convinced them that only by following her teachings could they escape lives that kept them from reaching their full potential. This blind-following led to lies, murder, and secrets. These secrets held for many years led to more death and tragedy.
I enjoyed the plot twists and character development. This is an absolutely enjoyable novel.

Reviewer: Nancy

The Hive by Gregg Olsen

I really wanted to love this book. I like Gregg Olsen's work, and this one sounded so intriguing, I couldn't wait to get to it. A murder with connections to a possible cult, a glamorous guru with the ability to draw thousands with her holistic, nonsensical wisdom... And then there was Lindsey Jackman, who I loved. Her investigation into a young woman's murder coming on the heel of her partner's suicide was a promising lead in to the story. But, at 23 chapters in (about 1/3 of the book), it seemed as if the story was still struggling to gain momentum, and by that point, I felt I just didn't care any more.

Ordinarily, I'm a fan of Gregg Olsen's work, but this one just wasn't for me.

Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for this NetGalley ARC.

The writing and the language are excellent, but unfortunately there's such a huge amount of unnecessary descriptions that it gets very boring.