Whenever I am in a reading slump, I usually gravitate to mysteries as the pacing can get me back into my reading game. The pacing of this book was great, from page to page and chapter to chapter, I wanted to see where this would all end up. But the thing that didn't completely work for me, was the amount of storylines trying to maintain in one book. I felt as though the author was piling and piling on and at a certain point it seemed too much.

A young woman is found dead in a corn field and not just any corn field but one that is fighting the formation of big agricultural companies and trying to keep farming small, so they already have enough drama on their hands before a dead body is found. This is the first murder of a few that happen in the book and slowly but surely the reader finds out how everything is connected. Following a young investigator Riley Fisher, the reader is taken on a ride to solve all of the things.

The first in a series of two that follow Riley Fisher as she investigates crimes in her home town and I did enjoy her as a character so hope to read the second one and see if the plot gets a little more pulled together in a sequel.

An engaging read that I thoroughly enjoyed! Highly recommend and will purchase several physical and digital copies for library collections. Thank you!!

This one was very creepy and a little tooo real for me. Which some people would definitely love! Very criminal minds-Esau’s

Fast-paced and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

I tried so many times to get into this book, both with my eyeballs and with the audio. I think there were just too many characters, most of which were pretty one dimensional. I'm hoping I can come back and change this rating later, but I've attempted no less than 5 times over the past year, and can't seem to get beyond the 50% mark.

Sergeant Riley Fisher is working her first case as the newly promoted to head of investigations for the sheriff's department in Black Hawk County. A body of a woman is found in the fields of an independent farm. The murder is horrific, but it is made especially so when the identity of the victim is someone Riley knows. Set amongst the struggles between Big Ag and family farms, this is a great new series that has both mystery and contemporary issues. Riley is good at what she does, and I can't wait for the next book!

I wanted to love this book so badly but it ended up being just okay for me. Which, isn't always a BAD thing, I just think it wasn't for me. Would still recommend it to those who seem interested. 3 stars.

This was an enjoyable police procedural with some shocking elements set in rural Iowa. There were several different themes explored and certain quandaries that the characters faced. A good series starter that will appeal to a broad audience.

I’m sorry but this story was a bit much for me. I love thrillers. I love horror. I wasn’t expecting the gory grimy parts in this one though.
I have to mark it as a DNF.

I’m so sorry.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. It just was not for me.

If you like grit and gore then this is the book for you. I read parts of this book holding my breath, it was that intense. Criminal Minds fans will love this.

Gritty crime thriller with ag politics tossed in? Why not. If you can keep focus through the first half, the last 25% makes up for it. While I probably won't read any follow ups to this, it definitely has its audience for those who typically enjoy crime fiction.

The Fields, while it is a unique concept for a thriller, really just fell flat for me. I was initially really drawn in by the odd centering of farm fields in the story but quickly lost interest. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

The Fields is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out The Fields today.

The Fields is the first book featuring Sergeant Riley Fisher and I hope not the last. This is a very dark and grisly police procedural and I couldn't get enough of it. I will say that it won't be be for those readers with a weak stomach. There are some quite graphic descriptions of the bodies and crime scenes. If you can handle your murder mysteries dark then this is the book for you.

Riley Fisher is the new head of department in Black Hawk County in Iowa. Not everybody is happy about this and can't wait to see her fail. Her first case is tough, and becomes a political minefield. But Riley is determined to find the killer, no matter the cost. When she arrives to the local family farm, she discovers that she recognises the body. An old childhood friend, from a past that she has tried really hard to put behind her. And then another body is found - is there a serial killer on the loose?

The Fields is so well written, so descriptive. It is a slow burn but it is definately a page turner.

The Fields is Erin Young's debut and I was immediately hooked for a few reasons - 1. Crime Fiction, yes please. 2. It's based in Iowa. I live in Iowa. Nothing is ever based in Iowa. 3. I judge books by their covers. Sue me.

The Fields was a procedural that took a look into not only murders, but also the twisted, at times crooked, relationships between small businesses and huge corporations, the delicate balance of being a cop versus a civilian, and much more. Each of these interested me, which was a bit surprising because I'm not normally interested in business-type things.

One thing to be aware of before reading is that some of the depictions of the murder crime scenes are EXTREMELY graphic. You can fully picture each detail because they are so vividly described. For many people, that may be a turn off.

I thought this was a very solid debut. It wasn't the greatest book I've ever read, but it was by far not the worst and I would definitely give Erin Young another chance to wow me.

I'm usually not big into crime fiction, and what initially drew me to this book was the cover, but this did not disappoint. I hope that this is the beginning of a sprawling series, because I'd pick up every one.

I wanted to love this, it had a great plot set-up and there were some very tense moments where I was scared for our main character Riley. Some of the descriptions are super morbid and gruesome, it's well written. However, the 2nd POV with a more political narrative was soooo boring and took me out of the book each time. I think this would have been stronger with just one perspective. I did appreciate the general themes of farming, Big Ag, rural life, etc. I think the commentary about Big Ag is pointed but also predictable. Maybe the next book will be better!

This was far too graphic and violet for me. I did a lot of skimming. I can see how others who stomach that well would enjoy this.

This one took me forever to get through but I think that’s because it’s not my favorite genre.

This book is for your lovers of Bones, Castle, and all those early 2000s cop shows. I can tell there’s going to be a lot more to Riley’s story so I’m excited to see what’s next!

I went into Erin Young's THE FIELDS thinking that it was going to be a comforting and typical police procedural thriller. Holy geez, was I wrong. Right for the most part, but that ending was way more brutal and intriguing than I was originally expecting from a debut author.

Newly appointed Police Sargent Riley Fisher lives and works in a mostly rural Iowa community where small family farms have been slowly eaten up by Big Ag corporations. From the opening pages we learn that this community is stalked by an unseen and brutal menace that all but obliterates its victims. Those faint of heart and repulsed by gory scenes should possibly skip this one. However, if you can stick out the gruesome details, you will be rewarded. Fisher's investigation begins when we realize that the first victim is one of her childhood friends - Chloe. Fisher's memories and connections to Chloe are pieced throughout the narrative of the ongoing investigation. When more female remains begin turning up on farms and in slaughterhouses, Fisher's current investigation and past begin to collide and hurtle toward a deeply fucked-up and disturbing conclusion that shines a harsh light on Big Ag.

My only complaint about this book, which is more my fault than anything, is that I struggled to keep the characters straight. The multiple POVs from beta characters and changing timelines made it difficult to separate the narrative into cohesive sections. I think the plot, which is so rich and the story so dark, that focusing on the different characters became overwhelming and didn't give the primary characters enough room to grow and develop. Hopefully Young will flesh them out further in the other books she planned for this series.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.