Three young hikers are missing, their guide found murdered on the Pacific Crest Trail. The only lead is a video of the crime scene and the girl who posted it to social media is now conveniently missing also. Detective Daniel Ellis and criminal profiler Reni Fisher are called in to investigate and determine if it’s a hoax.
When the crime scene is located and confirmed to be real, the fate of the hikers appears grim until one is found alive. Daniel and Reni begin to piece together what happened and why as they rush to locate those still missing.

At the same time, Reni has uncovered some surprising information regarding Daniel’s past and hesitates to share it with him over concern it will threaten their complicated personal and professional relationship.

I really enjoyed the first book in the Inland Empire series, Find Me. I loved the back stories for Daniel and Reni, how their complicated pasts drive them, the case that brought them together, and the twist.
This book failed to deliver the same energy for me. I enjoyed the case but saw the twist coming from a mile away. The way that Reni uncovers information for Daniel seems far too easy and convenient and the reveal/confrontation was very anticlimactic. This was just an average thriller that felt rushed to me.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Tell Me is scheduled for release on July 27, 2021.

This was an easy, fun read full of adventure and mystery.

What I liked.:
I love the idea of a camp for teens who are addicted to their electronics including phones. And what a great plot device - you are now cut off from the world.

The story was told from multiple points of view, which is always my favorite.

The writing was excellent - I could picture the hiking trails, I could picture the campsite and the desert felt like i had been there. I could feel the tension increasing as I continued to read.

I really enjoyed the story and the plot - I kept the pages turning wanting to know what happened next.

What I didn't like:
This was not the first book in a series. Therefore, it kept referring to things that happened in the past. I feel as if I would better understand the characters if I had read the previous book.

I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review. . I really truly, enjoyed this book and I recommend it. So why not 5 stars? I save that last star for a book that makes me say "wow" when I am done reading it - that book that gives me a reading hangover. But I would certainly buy this book again and will actually tell a few friends about it.

Reni Fisher is a criminal profiler and she works with detective Daniel Ellis in this tale of three missing hikers and one shot dead. It rips along at a cracking pace as Fisher and Ellis try to unravel who might want to kill or kidnap three teenage girls, all addicted to social media if their parents can be believed. Fisher and Ellis also have back stories that include significant trauma which helps lift the story from a mere whodunnit to something more complex, giving those characters a realistic feel. Although this is the second book in a series, it stands alone and you don't need to know anything about the characters beforehand. A ripping yarn over all too soon.

Such a great mystery/ suspense novel. The action starts fast and stays there. An exciting case that just keeps building the anticipation until the mind- blowing twists enhance the climactic intensity. The non-stop action keeps the reader engaged and eagerly turning pages to reveal the shocking conclusion. Overall, I found this to be a fantastic read.

Amazing read which i really enjoyed, the author has a way of keeping you engaged and wanting to turn the page, i really love this type of writing and the author really shone with it. The storyline was captivating, i really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend to book readers, friends and/or family.

Socially Relevant Without Preaching

Maybe it’s the mom in me, but I cheered to see the book begin with teens who were sent to a camp with no technology, forced to unplug from the world because their dependence on the Internet had gotten out of hand. Granted, it was a very posh camp, but the girls didn’t have it easy.

Then it all went downhill from there. Their guide was murdered, and there was no sign of the girls. Were they abducted? Did they flee? Was this an elaborate Internet prank to increase their viewers that somehow went horribly wrong?

Enter the cop (Daniel) and the profiler (Reni), both with more emotional baggage than they can fit in their knapsacks as they hike the mountain. There’s a lot of history there. (I didn’t realize this is the second book in the series, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this story, though I’d like to go back and read the first to fill in some blanks.) The way their pasts and presents collide makes for some heart-wrenching moments.

The plot unravels at a brisk, steady pace and has as many twists and turns as the trail the girls disappeared on. The ending was telegraphed throughout, but I think some readers might miss the hints and find it to be a surprise. All in all, it was a solid mystery that kept me engaged, and I’m interested in more from this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this work in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

I didn’t like this book as well as the first in the series, but I do like Reni and Daniel. I think they make a great team. There were definitely a few surprises in this book that I’m sure will factor into subsequent titles in the series.
I recommend this book especially for readers who enjoyed the first one.

Tell Me by Anne Frasier Reni and Daniel work through past personal issues to solve two murders, a kidnapping and missing hikers. Much of Reni and Daniel's past is mentioned which didn't detract from the story but left the reader wanting to delve into their past and read the first book in the series. Vividly detailed passages of the Santa Ana winds, desert landscapes and wilderness hiking trails. Multiple twists and turns and surprising ending. Looking forward to the next in the series.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Reni is a former FBI agent and Daniel a detective with a San Bernardino law enforcement agency. In the first book the two meet as they try to find victims of a serial killer who happens to be Reni’s father. Reni and Daniel team up again in this book to solve a murder on the Pacific Crest Trail.
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Three teenage girls and a guide are out for a three day hike. The guide is murdered and the girls are missing. An eerie video is posted to a social media account of the crime scene. Just as quickly as it pops up the poster also disappears. Reni and Daniel are left to determine if it’s a hoax or if there was really a murder committed.
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This book is just as good as the first. Fast-paced in the harsh but beautiful setting of the California desert. The book is creepy and sinister but not so much that I had nightmares. Both the first book, Find Me, and this one make for fanatic pool/beach reads.
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Thanks to @netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. It will be released on 7/27/21.

What happens when you go hiking in the woods and give up all your mobile devices beforehand? Well, something terrible happens, of course! Any reader of the mystery/horror genre could tell you that.

Three teenage girls are sent to a “rehabilitation” camp in California on the Pacific Coast Trail by their parents to break them of their social media fixations. While on a nature hiking trip, their counselor is murdered, and they disappear.

Detective Daniel Ellis and criminal profiler Reni Fisher from the first book, Find Me, are back to solve the crime and find the missing girls. Both are still dealing with the pain of their own disturbing pasts, and Reni in particular is hesitant to jump into this case. But jump right in they do and must follow confusing clues to find the missing girls, all the while trying to soothe the distraught parents. Then another young woman is found missing who took a video of the crime scene and posted it on social media. As the case ramps up, Reni discovers something from Daniel’s past they may be too much for him to handle.

I was excited to be able to read this book as I enjoyed the first one so much. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion. I’m looking forward to more Daniel and Reni cases. I gave this four stars.

The author certainly hits on a popular today topic. Social media addiction and to what lengths the influencers will go to get likes. Three girls are sent to a social media addiction rehab. They are hiking with their counselor/guide when the guide is murdered and they go missing.

Homicide Detective Daniel Ellis decides to investigate when a video is uploaded to YouTube showing the murdered counselor/guide. Not sure if its a hoax, publicity stunt or an actual murder, he calls Reni Fisher to accompany him out to the trail to see. What they find is not a hoax. There is a dead body and proof that they were 3 other girls there.

Daniel and Reni are such uniquely broken characters. Both of Reni's parent were serial killers and her childhood was spent unknowingly helping her father lure in his victims. This has permanently scared her and ended her career as a FBI profiler. She still chooses to live remotely in the desert of California with her dog and uses painting with watercolors as a stress relief. Daniel's mother disappearing over 30 years ago also left him broken on the inside. The not knowing what happened to her was detrimental in his becoming a homicide detective. He and Reni make a good team and they know and understand each others pain and dont try and fix each other.

I cant say the murder/mystery part of this book was a shocking/captivating as the first book. Its certainly relevant to today's times but I did miss the dark, twisted and shocking aspect from the first book. I really like the main characters and look forward to more books about them.

I have been an Anne Frasier fan since the early 90's and have read most of her books (highly recommend). I absolutely LOVED Find Me, so I was super-stoked to get this ARC, which is #2 of what will hopefully be a larger series.! While not quite as fast paced and good as the first, it is still a pretty great read. It is a little slow in parts and a little unbelievable once all is revealed, but still quite enjoyable. I love Reni, Daniel and Edward. It looks like the author left open an interesting possible continuation of their stories? I hope so! I do feel that Find Me needs to be read first as a lot of that plot is given away in Tell Me. Overall a very good story!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Anne Frasier and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!

Back-to-back readings of the first two books in Anne Frasier’s Inland Empire series. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

This one was very engaging and had an especially exciting scene about 3/4 of the way through. The twist was hinted at throughout parts of the book, so it was not completely unexpected to me, but still a good twist once the details emerged.

The ending, though, especially right after the twist played itself out, was better suited for a soap opera. Not horrible, but kinda cringy.

Interested to see where Anne goes with this series. I liked Book #1 much better, but this book was quality as well. As a side-note, I enjoyed reading the Author’s Note at the end of the book, where Anne describes writing both books of the series during a global pandemic.

Cross-posted to Goodreads.

This thriller was so amazingly good, that I devoured it in one sitting. I just needed to know how it ended.

So this is the Second book of the series Inland Empire, I didn’t read the first book, and that’s totally fine. You don’t really need to read the first one to understand the second book.

It was mysterious, thrilling and like I said, just amazingly good.
The writing style was really fluid and it just sucked you into the story.

I definitely want to read the first book. Even if I kind off know how it will end, I just want to read it, because I really enjoyed Anne Frasier’s writing style.

4 teenagers are forced to go to a “no phone “ retreat. A detox centre that will take you on walks through the scary , dense woods. But then the guide ends up dead, and there is no sign of the 4 girls. Where did they go? And who killed the guide?

Criminal profiler Reni Fischer and Detective Daniel Ellis, who both have traumatising pasts, will need to find out what happened. But will they succeed?

I will post my review on my Bookstagram on the 27th of July at @ted_and_her_books

Tell Me begins two weeks after the twisted conclusion of Find Me. Criminal profiler Reni Fisher and detective Daniel Ellis are still grappling with the past, when a new case of a murder and kidnapping draws the partners into a new dark and macabre case. A resort to treat social media and phone addiction, three young girls, and one camping trip turned nightmare, send Reni and Daniel on a trip into the mountain trails to find a murderer. On the side, Reni is still searching for Daniel's missing mother and what she uncovers is both shocking and sad. Full of suspense and interestingly, complex characters, Tell Me draws you in and keeps you guessing with twists and turns to make your head spin. Anne Frasier is a solid writer and permanently on my to read list. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

Reni and Daniel are at it again. Solving crime and helping each other heal at the same time. I flew threw this book needing to know what happened out there on the trail. The author had me once again surprised at the end of the book. Never thought the surprise cameo would show up at Daniels house. This book is a must read for the summer.

For some reason, female hikers going missing in the wilderness seem to be pretty popular in Bookland right now. I can't say I mind, in fact I love it -- I thought Jane Harper's "Force of Nature" was one of the year's best books. Sadly, "Tell Me" is more in the vein of Kyle Perry's "The Bluffs"... not nearly as terrible (thankfully), but still quite ludicrous. First of all, the dynamic between the two main characters did not strike me as convincing at all. Supposedly these are two seasoned law enforcement professionals who are "the best" at what they're doing (in case we forget, the author helpfully reminds us just how unbelievably great they are every other page or so, which is all the more jarring because neither one of them actually *delivers*; Reni in particular seems like a watercolor-obsessed borderline nutcase despite describing herself as "while ... not the best in the country for the job, I'm one of the best"... which made me feel very, very afraid for the lost and kidnapped in California), but on the page they come across mostly as lovestruck middleschoolers, constantly giving each other googly eyes while hoping the other one won't notice. Please.

What annoyed me even more than the constant puerile "he's so attentive/can't stop thinking about her" was the author's love of Stating The Obvious. Now, maybe there are people out there who are unclear on what's at stake when dealing with a possible kidnapping ("It was about a missing girl. It was about finding her before she was killed, if she hadn't been killed already. It was about finding her before horrible things happened to her. That was unlikely, but not impossible."); I'd say that's unlikely, but not impossible. Those same people probably find it helpful to be told that "when a person's livelihood was at stake, many of those people lied. That was one of the toughest things about this business. Sorting the lies from the truth." What! Thanks for clearing that up.
Ever wonder what the deal was with that age progression business? Here you go: "Age progression was a fairly broad supposition. A could be. A might be. Some drawings ended up being remarkably accurate; others were horribly off, bearing little similarity to the person today." Got that sorted! Then again, maybe police work is still one big mystery to you, so you'll appreciate Reni sharing this particular piece of wisdom: "If Daniel's mother was still alive, and Reni leaned toward her being dead, she could be anywhere in or out of the country." I. Had. Not. Thought of that.
I really hope you like tons of useless info and endless descriptions of stuff that has nothing to do with anything. As an example, here's what the author has to say about the desk of a tech guy who figures in exactly 1 scene, the most forgettable character imaginable: "The desktop was strewn with personal items, like a small stuffed elephant and a framed photo of a girl standing in front of the entrance to Disneyland. Snacks to alleviate boredom. A can of cranberry soda that fizzed and popped every now and then. A bag of tortilla chips." I mean, "messy desk" would have done it for me.

"Tell Me" also isn't shy about stereotyping; when describing a school shooting, the author offers this: "The shooter fit a familiar profile with very little divergence. White. Hair dyed black. Hand and neck tattoos. Facial hair and pimples. Military clothing. Long black coat for hiding weapons. Laced military boots and tucked black pants." Right! Let's lock up all the emos and put an end to school shootings forever, problem solved!
On the other end of the scale, if you ever happen to become a victim it's basically game over for you, no chance for growth or healing or moving on, because "Tragedies had a way of locking people into the age they were when the disaster hit." (This because a 15-year-old's room is decorated with a pink fuzzy blanket and photos of her classmates. I don't know, was she supposed to upgrade to black wallpaper and tubular steel furniture?) Then again, being stuck at 15-going-on-12 might not be the worst that can happen to you, because once you hit 50, this is what's in store for you: hair with "a touch of gray, a fatter face, smaller eyes, pinched mouth, slight jowls." Ooof.
This kind of thing goes on and on, reading at times like a particularly pointless but certainly opinionated infodump (we get to hear A LOT about the desert, and the Santa Ana winds, and the perks and pains of watercoloring, and the desert, and what Reddit has to say on the correct treatment of snake bites, and lots and lots of desert). It gets especially tiresome when the author uses her characters as mouthpieces for what I tend to fear are personal opinions that only vaguely connect to the story, such as Sensitive Man Daniel bemoaning the state of modern society ("It's disturbing that we see an uptick in young men who feel society and women in general have nothing to offer them. And they have nothing to offer in return but rage." Insert massive eye-roll here), or cutting commentary on that nasty new-fangled "social media" thing ("That's how screwed up social media was. Likes were more important than a life.").

Solving this particular double murder/kidnapping actually isn't all that tough, the first suspect to pop up also turns out to be the killer. Phew! Talk about a lucky break! Especially since it takes some heavy-duty suspension of disbelief to accept how said suspect even makes it onto the radar. And then we take a sharp turn into "The Bluffs" territory and things get truly, I guess "baffling" is a good word. It's hard to describe exactly what was bothering me about that particular turn of events without giving too much away, but I really, really don't see that thing going down. It simply doesn't make sense, character-wise.
We don't get a lot of subplots, mainly there's just the question of Daniel's missing mom, and if you have any suspended disbelief left over from that Suspect Putting Himself on the Map incident, now would be the time to let it loose, because that's what it was made for. This I sadly can't get into without spoiling the, um, surprise?, but. Well. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time.

This is basically a beach read masquerading as something more high-brow (or maybe I misread the cover & description and the joke is on me); if you don't want to think too hard and like your characters simple yet over-explained and romantically stuck up, *and* have a high improbability threshold, I daresay you'll enjoy it. Me, I sadly found it hilarious for all the wrong reasons. 2.5 stars, rounded down because of the MCs' constant fawning.

Well Crafted Suspense…
The second in the author’s Inland Empire series finds both Fisher and Ellis still struggling with the past, something they have in common, and with a crime that must be solved at all costs. Meticulously written, well crafted, tension building and with characters that are nicely developing alongside a pacy plot line this is fast moving, chilling suspense with twists and turns aplenty and more than one surprise along the way.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
The second in Frasier's Inland Empire series follows Detective Daniel Ellis and Profiler Reni Fisher as they deal with the fallout of their last investigation and throw them into a new case involving missing young hikers. Both characters undergo some personal revelations and work together to solve this new case that seems to get more and more twisted as they investigate.
A wonderful companion book with complex characters and an ending with a surprising twist.

An excellent second installment in the Inland Empire series. This book finds Daniel and Reni investigating the disappearance of a group of teenage girls, who were hiking as part of a social media addiction rehab exercise.

As the details of the crime come together, we learn more about Daniel and his unusual connection to one of the missing teens.

Just as with the first book in this series, I was impressed with the author's ability to balance a fast-paced plot and character development in a short novel without making anything feel rushed or overlooked. If you haven't read the first book yet, I recommend starting there to make the most of this one -- and definitely check it out when it releases later this month!