Reading Between the Wines book review #103/130 for 2024:
Rating: 4 🍷🍷🍷🍷
Book: Unstable
Author: Alexandra Ivy
Available now!!

Sipping thoughts: Very dark and twisted. Not for the faint of heart. I really enjoyed the story and do not know why I didn’t figure out the killer when it was sitting right in front of my face.

Cheers and thank you to @KensingtonBooks and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @Unstable.

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Great book filled with wonderful characters that make you fall deeper into the story. It was well written and entertaining.

Unstable by Alexandra Ivy is a captivating cold case thriller that immerses readers in a dark atmosphere, unexpected twists, and a hefty dose of suspense. This novel promises a gripping reading experience that will haunt you until the very end.

The author masterfully keeps the tension high throughout the book. With clever twists and surprising revelations, she pulls readers deep into the dark and dangerous world of the cold case. Readers will speculate about the killer's identity, while the oppressive atmosphere of the book leaves one breathless.

The main characters are vivid and multifaceted. The supporting characters add to the complexity of the plot, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

The writing style is gripping and compelling, making it difficult to put the book down. The short chapters and fast-paced narrative ensure a thrilling and nerve-wracking reading experience that captivates readers from beginning to end.

Unstable is a chilling cold case thriller that draws readers in with its dark atmosphere and clever twists. For fans of suspenseful and gripping crime stories, this book is definitely a must-read that should not be missed.

This is a new to me author and I have to say I am looking forward to reading more by this author! I loved this book

I was hooked from the beginning. The book had suspense, angst, and great characters. I loved the build up between Zac and Rachel and trying to figure out who the killer was. I highly recommend this book.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books/Zebra for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I am not sure if this is part of a series or not. The characters are interesting, but I thought the past relationship between Zac and Rachel wasn't clearly defined. Why did they divorce? Just because of her job? This was fast paced with a twist and suspense. It was a little slow in the middle but overall a good read. 3 stars

Engaging and engrossing. The middle did drag a bit but overall a great story with well devoted characters

This could be read as a stand-alone book, but it is really the third in a series. A very good mystery book, which I can count on from the author. The only thing was the romance. Personally, I’m not a fan of the second chance romance, but that’s my personal opinion. This was overall a good mystery book though with a great twist.

I loved the small town vibes, the characters were easy to connect to . The story was fast paced and easy to read. This book didnt let up and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

WHEN IT COMES TO KILLING
A dead man in a cemetery isn’t news—unless he’s found on top of a grave, with a bullet through his head. The body belongs to Jude Henley, who was supposed to be buried below. Instead, the grave contains the remains of Staci Gale, thought to have run away nearly three decades ago. Then an old VCR tape arrives at the sheriff station, showing Staci before her death—bound and terrified—with a note, claiming to be from the killer’s apprentice...

PRACTICE
Rachel Fisher’s job in cold case files has brought her back to Pike, Wisconsin—where she’ll be working alongside her ex-husband, Zac Evans. As Pike’s interim sheriff, Zac expected a low-key assignment. Instead, he and Rachel are racing to solve serial murders from decades past while a new monster goads them with a chilling promise. Every week there’ll be another old tape—and a fresh victim...

MAKES PERFECT...
In this small town a killer walks—twisted, ruthless, determined to continue his master’s work. And unless Rachel and Zac can find a way to get ahead of him, the nightmare will never end.

This is the first book I’ve read in this series but they can all be read as stand alones. The series is based in the same town with recurring characters but each book focuses on a different set of main characters.

Sheriff Zac Evans has to team up with his ex wife Rachel when their cases overlap. She works in cold cases and a fingerprint from her investigation has been flagged up in Zac’s case. Pike has a twisted killer who seems to be reenacting brutal murders from the past. However, the police don’t seem to have a record of any previous killings. The murders are dark and Ivy knows how to set the scene. It’s a tense race to catch a sadistic killer although I did find the pace slow in places. The added romantic suspense really adds to the story. I will definitely be going back to read the first two books in the series.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Any one following my reviews will know I review mostly either thrillers or romantic fictions. And in the past year alone, I have read quite a lot of thriller/mystery books. There were some I had to compel myself to read through to the end. There were also others which I just read feverishly, not able to stop reading at all. I am delighted to say, 'Unstable' by Alexandra Ivy, belongs to the latter category. It is the third book in her Pike, Wisconsin series and author Alexandra has presented an unbeatable, police-procedural thriller to her readers.

I haven't read the previous books in the series but I was still able to follow the continuation of the story. There are very few references to the events of the earlier books and so this book can very well be read as a stand-alone.

The small town of Pike in Wisconsin is once again the centre of a darkness roaming in its midst, in the form of a twisted and perverted psychopath. A man is kidnapping women, brutally assaulting and killing them. The new Sheriff Zac Evans feels certain that this is not the regular garden-variety murder, as much as he wants it to be so. His ex-wife Rachel teams up with him to catch the perpetrator when it becomes clear that the first victim, Jude Henley, is the suspect of one of the cold cases she is handling. He also seems to be the one who had started this twisted game many years before and now someone else is treading the same path trying to outdo him.

Together, Zach and Rachel comb through the past and investigate every evidence and people they come across, trying their best to find out the killer before more women are brutalized. For each clue they gain, they are dragged at least two steps behind. You all must read the book to know if and how they manage to find the killer.

Author Alexandra has a tremendous talent for telling exciting and engaging stories. All her characters were well-defined and most importantly, they all felt real. She manages to immerse the reader into the town from the get-go and emotionally invested with many of the characters as well. The story flows seamlessly from one Investigative avenue on to the next, all the while pulling the readers along with it on a racy chase. The brief insights, the author gives, into the mind of the killer is extremely chilling and scary; I was really scared at times. And that's what makes the story quite brilliant. The author also manages to throw some clever red-herrings into the story; I was actually surprised by the identity of the killer - I definitely didn't see that coming.

This book gave me an exciting and thrilling reading experience after a very long time and I can't recommend this book enough to all the police-procedural lovers. Do give this a try and you will not be sorry.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ivy writes in a way that hooks the reader immediately, and she is a master at putting tension into the suspense novel.

Rachel and Zac, ex-couple, current law enforcement, are thrown together to solve a series of horrific murders. This summary sounds similar to many stories, but Ivy somehow makes it fresh and intriguing. This is a must read.

Grab this one and get ready for a story you can not put down!! This book kept me on the edge of my seat, but not only that…every time I thought, I know who the killer is, the story took another turn. Even through to the end, I didn’t know who it was until he revealed himself. What a great romantic thriller!

I went in this book completely blind as I totally fell in love with this gorgeous cover 😍!

It was better than I could have imagined! I had no clue this was a series, so it can definitely be read as a stand-alone…and to be honest, I feel I enjoyed even more starting with this book. I can now guess what the first two books in the series would be about, yet I am planning on buying and reading those now as well!

This is a crime fiction thriller through and through. A small town appears to have a copycat serial lady killer on their hands, that the town was unaware of the prior serial killer 30 years before.

Add some romantic heat in the mix as the detectives on the case were previously married and you have a winner of a book.

Romantic suspense, when it’s done correctly, is one of the best genres to get your pulse-pounding and flipping pages in anticipation and heightened need to finish fast.

Alexandra Ivy has wiggled her way to my top 3 list for romantic suspense authors by far with this smash hit!!

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Never going to visit this town...has a serious crime problem!!

Ex-husband and wife, Zac and Rachel are both investigating the murder of a local woman which leads to more murders and numerous suspects. Fast paced and enjoyable.

Excellent well crafted mystery. I definitely was not expecting the plot twist that helped to identify the killer. As for the romance, for the hero and heroine this was their second chance. Their past history and why the relationship didn't work out just wasn't explained well to me.


Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC..

4/5 for Unstable by Alexandra Ivy

This the FIRST book in months where I couldn't predict who was the killer and the backstory of the murders. It was absolutely refreshing though!. Honestly, the whole storyline was great. Everything flowed smoothly and connected very well.

Rachael and Zac's relationship after their divorce was interesting to read. They are obviously super familiar with each other that at moments you get confused that they are still married or in a relationship. This part adds more drama into the story. Would love to see more books with these types of MCs because it creates more "spice" (the nonsexual kind).

Unsure if the book is meant for teenagers or young adults because some of the stuff mentioned is a little messed up. But, Alexandra Ivy outdid herself with this one! Would totally read sequels or other books by her now :)

Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy!

What a thrilling ride!

Zac is the sheriff in Pike, Wisconsin. Rachel is his ex-wife. They get together to work on the unsettling murders that are happening in Pike. The murders are not ALL they work on either!

This book kept me on the edge of my seat, but not only that…every time I thought, I know who the killer is, the story took another turn. Even through to the end, I didn’t know who it was until he revealed himself. What a great thriller! Another winner by Alexandra Ivy and an excellent third book in her Pike series! You should pick this book up…you’re going to love it, if you enjoy who-done-it books!

I was especially happy with the way it ended! A very enjoyable read.

I love an eerie thriller! Someone in this small town of Pike is hunting females. An easy thrilling stand alone.

What did I like? The cover is gruesome but the story is laid out as a thriller and second chance romance combined. It’s always daunting to read about what one person can put another through and this one was chilling. The hunt to find the killer was unique and the ending satisfying.

Would I recommend or buy? This is an easy author to buy since most retailers have her books. I’m pleasantly surprised I enjoy her thrillers just as much as her PNR.
Four stars!

The publisher granted me an ARC to read and voluntarily left a review.