A huge thank you to Tantor Audio and netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5⭐
This was amazing!! It was everything I wanted and more.
Thrilling, smart and not too gruesome.
I LOVED IT! and I'm not a big fan of thrillers.
The story was gripping and dark, and though it started as something and ended up being something else, I liked it, even the weird ending.
The audiobook was excellent, the narrator did an amazing job, bravo 👏

P. S This book should be in every thriller list by the end of the year ♥️

This is a story about the ways we haunt ourselves.

How well do you know your spouse? How well do they know you? How much would you bet on your knowledge of their ins & outs? But this unnerving horror/thriller certainly crawled under my skin. The writing style is unique & reads almost like a cross between a stream of consciousness & an posthumous epistolary, written to a character who is both gone & ever present.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. 💫

Thank you Netgalley & Tantor Audio for this ALRC!

While it took me a while to get into it, I am glad that I finished the book, because the ending was the best thing about it.

This is a physiological thriller / crime investigation that tells a story of a grieving husband who discovers that his late wife was secretly investigating numerous murders of teenage girls. The plot was interesting, although I did find the pace a bit too slow for my liking. The big part of this book is dedicated to dealing with grief and because it is written in the first person perspective the protagonist’s emotional pain felt too real sometimes.

This was my first book by the author and I am certain it won’t be the last one.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for an advance copy of Come with me by Ronald Malfi, in exchange for an honest review.

I am so grateful for NetGalley reviewers, because if I hadn't noticed the glowing reviews for this one, I may have slept on this one! Come With Me is a slow burn, small town mystery, full of surprises and the hint of the supernatural, in the exploration of a husband's grief. It follows Aaron Decker and his quest to make sense of his late wife, Allison's death. We start off on a routine day, with Allison heading out to do some shopping, and ending up the victim of a mass shooting. What Aaron comes to discover in the aftermath of this tragic event, is that his wife was secretly investigating a string of murders by a potential serial killer. I won't give anymore than that as to keep the twists under wraps, but wow, I wasn't expecting what Aaron uncovers when he follows in his wife's footsteps and starts his own investigation to understand what drove his wife to keeping this part of her life a secret from him. Come With Me is a quiet, atmospheric and haunting tale that pulled me in immediately and encourage you all to dive into this one.

Format: audiobook
Author: Ronald Malfi ~ Title: Come With Me ~ Narrator: Joe Hempel
Content: 4.5 stars ~ Narration: 5 stars

Aaron Decker’s wife Allison died in a mass shooting. When he is dealing with his grief, he uncovers a big Allison’s secret and, as he digs further; he realizes he didn’t know his wife. This suspenseful, masterfully written dark thriller contains bits of horror just in the right amounts. Narration is very good.

Come With Me is my first Ronald Malfi book, and I will look for some of his other works. I would recommend this book to all who like thrillers, but it is also suitable for general readers. 4.5 rounded to 5.

Thanks to the Tantor Audio for the ARC and the opportunity to listen to this! All opinions are my own.

It’s hard for me to rate and review this book because it wasn’t what I was expecting to read. I prefer to go into books mostly blind. For this book, I saw that it was small town horror and ghosts. That’s all I needed to know before requesting the e-arc. Unfortunately, that’s not what this book is.

Come With Me is a mystery that explores grief after a husband loses his wife. Aaron and Allison are happily married until the day she is killed. After she dies, Aaron finds a receipt that leads him on a journey of discovery about his wife’s past.

I think if you go into this book expecting a mystery instead of a ghostly horror book, you’ll enjoy it much more than I did.

Aaron Decker’s wife is killed in a mall shooting and as he tries to come to terms with this, he discovers that his wife was keeping secrets from him, this book follows Aaron as he tries to uncover what his wife was keeping secret and why.

I’m being overly vague as this book needs to be experienced yourself, it starts off a bit slow but as it picks up more and more layers are peeled back, and the story unfurls into something fascinating and utterly compelling. The prose is masterfully written, there’s a large and well-developed cast of characters and after the opening the pacing keeps you hooked throughout.

I listened to the audiobook version of this, and Joe Hempel does a stellar job, he has such a great tone and delivery, I’ll be keeping an eye out for more books narrated by him.

To be honest I can’t think of anything I disliked about the book, it’s probably the best I’ve read this year and deserves any and all praise it gets, I give this my highest recommendation.

“Come with me.” Some of the last words Allison says to her husband Aaron, but he was busy, and Allison was shot in the head while shopping at the mall.
Overcome with grief, Aaron discovers that Allison has a hidden past. Teenage girls, all with a similar looks, have been murdered up and down the East Coast. Aaron believes that Allison was researching the murders, and that it may be a serial killer.
Aaron becomes interested in these cases and starts looking into them himself. Many suspects, many questions, and a killer still on the loose Will Aaron discover the killer or will he end up with Allison in a grave?
This was a compelling mystery and one that Malfi came up with after his friend was senselessly shot at work. He knew four people were dead but did not know their names. Imagine the hours of worry, then resignation, then the anger with the conformation.
With this book Ronald Malfi puts you through the emotional wringer. So many questions and doubts about how well you know someone. What lives are hidden behind the masks people wear? Do we ever know someone’s dark secrets?
You will be just as compelled as Aaron to solve Allison’s mystery. Come with me into this dark world.

Narrator 5 stars

Story 5 stars

If Michelle Mcnamara never told Patton Oswalt about her hunt for a serial killer, this could have been his story.

This book gave me the chills. Sandwiched between my husband and 4 year old at 3am I had to wonder... Can I not sleep because I'm just not tired or can I not sleep because I NEED to finish this book!!!

Oh, this story! The question is-do you really know people you think you know? Aaron thought he knew Allison. When his wife, the small town reporter, is killed and he starts to go through her things, he finds out she had a life he knew nothing about. Aaron deals with his grief by picking up where his wife left off in an investigation she kept hidden.

I have to say that this story kept me listening (thank you for the audio version) well into the evening. It never stopped. It never even slowed. Aaron starts out curious and soon realizes that his wife had a dark past and he becomes obsessed. Sprinkled in between are supernatural elements that may or may not be happening. Also sprinkled throughout are characters haunting speaking the title sentence, "Come with me." The decision to do so or not to do so seals the fate of everyone character who hears it.

One of the most haunting parts of the story is that as Aaron goes through his wife's life he has to repeatedly explain to people that she is dead and how she died. We have so many shootings in the US in recent years that the fact that a man walked into a store and murdered people isn't something that even everyone who knows the victims may not even hear about it. And the families have to go through explaining the murder of their loved ones over and over again. Aaron broke my heart as he told everyone this news repeatedly, even though he didn't want to do it. And as he narrates this tale to his deceased wife.

Grief, our violent society, how the world views young women and girls, all very timely. And just in case you aren't carefully contemplating life by the end, pay attention to the author's note.

I wish to thank the author, publisher, narrator and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-audio ALC of this book in exchange for my review.

I have to admit, I'm a bit of a fan girl of Ronald Malfi's. I first discovered his book The Floating Staircase a few years ago, devoured it, and then sought out all of his other books and devoured them as well. I don't always love his books, but there is something in the writing style that just really works with me and I can't put them down.
This was my first audiobook of his, though. It was interesting to experience the book in this different medium.

This was less of the paranormal book I expected and more of a true crime, but still has a good mystery that keep me turning the pages.

4 stars - I really enjoyed the book, and will probably find a print copy when it is published to experience it in my own voice as well.

This was just a unique and wonderful book. I truly felt I was accompanying Aaron on his journey, as he followed the clues left by Allison. The story is beautifully written and well-executed. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for giving me this copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first Ronald Malfi and it will not be the last. HIs writing is flawless and this was a compelling tearjerker of a story and the author's note in the end had me in tears.
The story follows Aaron as he comes to terms with the untimely loss of his wife. The subsequent weeks of her death Aaron finds a motel receipt in his wife's belongings and and thus the story unravels as Aaron slowly uncovers his wife's secret life.

This was a slow burn mystery drama-though there is not much suspense this story delivers and it kept me intrigued to the very end despite its slow pacing. I am a lover of true crime and I found this story to be very reminiscent of Michelle McNamara book "I'll Be Gone in the Dark". The only reason that I did not give this a full 5 stars is because I did think the ending sort of came out of nowhere and I can't say much more with out spoiling the plot.

I would highly recommend this book, especially for true crime fans who prefer regular civilians solving crimes versus the police procedural jargon. I will definitely purchase a physical copy upon this books release.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

When I first read the description of this book, I believed it would be a psychological thriller, one of my favorite genres.
But it turned out that I, once again, was cheated into reading a crime book... I am not a huge fan of crime books...
But the book was granted to me, and I figured I might as well.
At least this crime book had a somewhat original plot.

Aaron is suffering from the loss of his wife. A woman, it turns out, that he did not really know after all.
A few months after her death, Aaron discovers a folder full of murder cases in their closet, along with a disturbing doll and a gun. He realizes that she had been keeping one hell of a secret and takes it upon himself to precisely determine what and why.

The book is written from Aaron's point of view. He tells the story directly to his late wife, which gives quite a unique reading experience. All of Aaron's emotions and thoughts towards his wife are told directly to the reader throughout the book.
The storyline is pretty good. The thought of not knowing the people who are closest to us, is fascinating. However, the book went on for quite a while. There were so many small unnecessary details that just added up to a very long book. I did like guessing along with Aaron and trying to solve the case, there were multiple people it could have been, and I didn't guess it until pretty late in the book - which is great! It wasn't too predictable. There's nothing worse than a crime book, where the reader solves the murder right away...
The book also did deliver some twists and some unexpected turns, which I really appreciate in a crime.
However, the book still didn't really manage to keep me interested throughout the whole book. I listened to the audiobook, and I guess the physical book only has 352 pages (which is not a lot), but it felt way longer than that. I was way over halfway through before I started to get invested in the story.
It was also so very unrealistic that this translater solves murders that the police couldn't... I know this is fiction, but it just seems like a stretch.

The book did have a great deal of mystery. It had thought-out characters and a pretty solid plot. The storyline was also rather unique, and the mix of grief and crime worked pretty well.
After listening to the book, I found out the author had written the book after losing a close friend, in the same way, Aaron lost his wife. That added something extra to the story - the grief is real, and that hit hard. Unlike a lot of crime books, this one wasn't really gory. It didn't have too many details about the dead girls, and it was definitely easier to stomach.
Overall a pretty good book, not a favorite - but I guess, worth the time.

Fantastic audiobook! Great narrator. I could not stop listening. Very, very well done!!!

Full review:

Aaron and Allison Decker are happily married. They're a great match. Life is good. One December morning, as Allison heads out to a local shopping mall, she says to her husband, "come with me." Aaron, feeling a little too comfortable lounging around, declines her offer.

That's the last time he sees his wife. Allison's senseless death brings Aaron's world crashing down around him. Overwhelmed with grief, he tries to take it one day at a time, but even basic things are taxing. He's drowning. Sifting through some of Allison's belongings, Aaron discovers a motel receipt from North Carolina, paid in cash with Allison's name on it.

They live in Maryland. He has no idea why she would have been at the motel for a two night stay; two nights that happen to coincide with a time Aaron was out of town on business. He's sure Allison never told him she left home.

Aaron's mind immediately goes to where yours may have when you read that last paragraph. He wonders if Allison was possibly having an affair. Immediately he feels guilty. That couldn't possibly be true. Allison wasn't like that, was she?

The receipt gives Aaron something to focus on. He's also insanely curious, thus he sets out on a journey to discover why Allison would have gone there. What exactly was she doing?

Y'all, I think this is my favorite book that I have read so far this year!!! The more I think about, the more I appreciate just how incredibly well-crafted this story is. Every moment of Aaron's journey brings darker discoveries and new information that will ultimately lead him to the truth behind Allison's secret life.

I was constantly floored by what was happening. The reveals, the connections, the red herrings; they just kept coming. Aaron becomes completely obsessed with his task, risking life and limb in order to solve it. I love how Malfi beautifully wove together the exploration of grief, the supernatural and a tense and brutal mystery. Yes, it's a legit mystery, which I had no idea when I started.

I had barely heard anything about this one, Malfi's name is what made me pick it up and I'm so happy that I did. I will be shouting from the rooftops about this for a long time to come. It's incredible. Come With Me releases next Tuesday, July 20th, so make sure you add it to you TBR!

Thank you so, so much to the publisher, Titan Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to read it early and provide my thoughts.

All the stars in the universe!!!

Unable to give feedback at this time . Audio was removed from my shelf before I had a chance to listen to.

Aaron Decker recently lost his wife in a senseless shopping mall shooting. Feeling a bit haunted by her, Aaron begins to go through Allison's things and discovers a hotel receipt. This receipt spurs anger, then curiosity as Aaron continues to find things Allison never told him about. Is Allison actually haunting Aaron, or is he haunting himself? You'll have to read this to find out!

Having to keep things intentionally vague is hard when it comes to this book. At first I wasn't crazy about it, to be honest. The protagonist is talking to his dead wife in his head the entire time. This leads to many long portions with no external dialogue whatsoever. Then things really started to heat up.

As Aaron continues to seek out more and more information about what Allison was up to prior to her death, more characters and dialogue come into play. Aaron is someone you can really root for, he cared for his wife, and his grief stricken mind is reaching out to her the entire time. Every woman deserves a man like Aaron, a man that TRULY loves them.

The pacing was generally good, (except for that rather slow start), but it picked up quite a lot towards the end. The denouement was surprising and had me at the edge of my seat. There were so many suspect characters, I had no chance of guessing the culprit. I love when that happens!

The narrator, Joe Hempel, did a marvelous job voicing Aaron. It must have been particularly difficult too, as we are living in Aaron's head for a good part of this novel. Aaron's grief and anxiety seemed to spill out of my phone's speaker and tear right into my heart.

I've long thought that Ronald Malfi was an under-rated author; he deserves to be more well-known. He's quietly turning out brilliant books and as for myself? I will line up to read them. I hope that you'll COME WITH ME and give this one a try!

Highly recommended!

*Thanks to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the download of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*

4.5 stars
What a great sad yet intriguing story. If you like suspense, mystery, and a small touch of paranormal this story is for you.

The narrator has a great voice and wasn’t boring or soothing like a lot of other male narrators. He made me want to listen rather than sleep.

Definitely a must read or listen!

4.83 stars

Aaron’s life is turned upside down when his wife, Allison, is killed. Missing her and still sensing her presence, Aaron is shocked to find a receipt for a motel room when he is sorting her belongings. He is determined to follow the trail and find out what Allison was hiding from him and why.

His investigation will take him on a path of danger and dark secrets. Will the truth bring him closer to Allison or make him realize he never had her at all?

I first read Come with Me as an audiobook produced by Tantor Audio and narrated by Joe Hempel. I was delighted with this production. Hempel was the perfect choice for this book. His narration added so much depth and life to Aaron and the story. I felt the pacing was excellent, and the narrating style was very compelling. I also appreciate that the way Hempel told the story was easy to follow and focus on. I listened to it every second I was free until it was done.

This is my first Malfi book, and what a punch in the face his writing was! I mean that in the best possible way. Now and then, you will read a genre book and feel every word written, breathe at each comma and bask in the literary sun you were just gifted with while being extremely entertained by the story. Such was my experience with Come with Me. The character work was superbly done, and the way we followed the story as Aaron shares his journey with Allison’s ghost/memory made me feel like I was immersed and invested in the outcome. It felt like being in both Allison and Aaron’s shoes, and oh boy, was that an emotional ride!

I have no words to describe how fantastic this book is. Speechless.

Aaron’s grief really touched me. His journey for closure, juggling the fear that it will end with realizing he didn’t know Allison, and the hope that he will honour her by completing a mission that consumed her life, was absolutely relatable and touching.

Grief is a big part of my life, and the way Malfi handled it through Aaron was authentic, compelling, and emotional. And I think this visceral, raw, and vulnerable depiction is what kept me from thoroughly enjoying myself while reading this book.

I am no genre expert, but Come with Me read more like a dark psychological thriller than a horror. Maybe I was so connected to Aaron and his grief that I overlooked the horror – grief tends to blur other feelings around it. At least it does to me. Regardless of how this book is marketed, it is an excellent read.

When I first started reading Come with Me, I thought it would go in a direction I didn’t want to go. I was so happy when it didn’t. There are no flaws in Malfi’s telling of Come with Me. With this one book, I have become a fan, and he became an auto-buy. I will be binging on his other books and highly recommend this to everyone!

Disclaimer: I first read it as an ARC. In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to Ronald Malfi, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley or providing me with a copy of Come With Me

This dark serial killer thriller was everything I wanted in a new (to me) author, plus plenty more. I'm not one to go guessing ahead, so this compulsive read was perfect for me. I could follow recently widowed Aaron in his quest for answers to questions that arose after his wife was killed in a shopping center shooting. It was atmospheric and spooky, and didn't beg me to figure it out as layer after layer was peeled back. The fact that some of the story is based upon a true crime just adds to the creep appeal.

I will admit the POV in Come With Me was unnerving at first, but about 20% of the way in, I finally figured out its value. It had the same creepy feel -- you know the one, where you're stream-of-consciousness inside your protagonist's head -- as Caroline Kepnes's You series. I'm not sure why it's effective, but it works.