A suspenseful read that held my interest through out the book. A good story line and detailed characters within the story.

This was a solid crime mystery. It is part of a series but can be easily read as a stand alone. I found the story ok if a little slow paced.

Another engrossing entry in the Rachel Ryder series. Confronted with a serial killer--and an out-of-town detective--Rachel and her partner are racing against time to find the link between the victims and find the killer. With a cliffhanger of an ending, I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Thanks to Severn River Publishing for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.

This book was full of suspense. Detective Rachel Ryder and her partner, Detective Rob Bishop, of the Hamby, Georgia Police Department are on the search for a suspected serial killer who targets young men accused of sexual assault. If you enjoy reading fascinating police procedurals, you'll like this book. I highly recommend this book to other police procedural readers. I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley, and the opinion expressed is strictly my own.

Rachel and her partner, Rob, have to investigate when a body is found near a fire that looks a lot like arson. When they find a number near the body, they soon discover that it was also the case for a number of bodies before, and now they have a serial killer on their hands, leaving no clues but these cryptic numbers...
This is book 5 of the Rachel Ryder series. I haven't read the ones before, but I could still easily follow. The pace was slow and the story a bit redundant, but the characters were great with a surprise ending that leaves you on a bit of a cliff hanger.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Holy Smokes! That's how you plot a story! Rachel Ryder is back and better than ever! Someone is killing, but not everyone is sorry about it when the victims have their own victims! This story is full of twists and turns, potential suspects, roadblocks and more to keep you on the edge of your seat and turning pages as fast as you can devour the words. I absolutely can't wait for the next book in the series comes out as this is one plot that may not be quite tied up in a tidy bow...or is it??? My only frustration is that I finished the book so fast that now I have to wait longer for the next book to come out!

This book was intriguing. I did not know it was a part of a series. I am going to get all of them and start over. I had not previously read anything by this author but I am hooked now! Read this one you will not be disappointed!

Body Count by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
Rachel Ryder #5

Arson with a brutal murder begin this police procedural that finds Ryder and Bishop, along with their team, looking for a cunning serial killer. Will they find the killer? What is the killer’s motivation? Will they be able to save potential victims? Will they get justice for those killed? So many questions needing answers and…will they find them?

What I liked:
* The writing, plot, pacing, and location
* Getting to see how Rachel and the team are doing
* Rachel: homicide detective, transplant from Chicago, widow, has solved many cases, has a media presence, type A, has a temper, likes to win, not always easy to like but may be mellowing a bit
* Bishop: seasoned homicide detective, level-headed, good with people, anchors Rachel and handles her well, baby whisperer, divorced father, in a fledgling romantic relationship
* Mechels, Niki, Bubba: skillful and great team members working with Ryder and Bishop
* Jimmy: police chief, new father, married to Ryder’s BFF, good leader
* The Fire Chief and Arson Inspector: intelligent and professional
* The comradery of the team and their interactions with other agencies
* Having read the previous books in the series that allowed me to know Rachel, her backstory, and the team in a way I otherwise would not have
* That this book could be read as a standalone but would recommend reading them in order
* Kyle: ex-Marine, DEA agent, in a relationship with Ryder, caring, good cook, professional, helpful, wonder if the two will eventually end up permanently together
* Thinking about killers and why they do what they do…not an easy thing to think about but reading this type of book does have me contemplating their mental processing of what they do
* Thinking about what a criminal profiler would study and how they would put together a profile
* Knowing that there will be another book to look forward to

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Having to wait to see what will happen in the next book – though the local murders were solved there is a tie-in to the next book that is related to this one that has me wishing it was ready to read right now.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

When Detective Rachel Ryder and her partner Rob Bishop are called to the scene of a fire, they have no idea that this may be one of their more horrific cases. A young man was cleaned and posed after having his throat slit. Since the #7 was found with the body, does this mean that there are six other bodies somewhere? When another man is found days later with the #8, they now know they have a serial killer. A detective arrives from another part of the state with three unsolved murders found with #1, 2, and 3. Their goal is to stop the killer and get justice for the victims, but where are bodies 4, 5, and 6? Rachel and her partner try to keep things light as they investigate in order to shut out the dark things they witness. A break in the case leads them to women who were sexually abused by the murdered men. Someone is enacting their own form of justice and when a third man goes missing, Rachel and Rob must find him before he becomes victim #9. An excellent police procedural by one of the best! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Rachel is called to the scene of a fire and a body. But the body isn’t burned, in fact it’s placed where it wouldn’t burn before the fire was found. And the soil is carefully raked around it. The body has a tag with the number 7. Is this a serial murder? As the investigation begins, social media indicates this was a male predator hitting on the women around him. Could this be the motive? Before they get far in the investigation, a similar body is found. Follow Rachel and her team as they try to make sense of these murders. Great book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I didn’t realize this was a series and now I’ll have to check out the first four books.
I liked this and it was easy to follow even though I didn’t read the first four books. So this could certainly work as a stand-alone as well if you aren’t into series.

If you haven't read this author or this series, you need to get book 1 now! This is book 5 in the Ryder/Bishop series and it did not disappoint! Always entertaining, it pulls you in from the beginning. This particular book could be read as a stand alone but why would you want to? You'd be missing out on great characters and writing!

Thank you #netgalley and #severnriverpublishing for this eARC.

I’ve done it again - this time I’ve picked up book 5 in the series without realising it! Which means it works perfectly fine as a stand alone.

A killer who grandiosely refers to himself as The Mastermind is pulling someone’s strings. Detective Rachel Ryder and her partner Detective Rob Bishop are called to a fire where a body has found nearby. They surmise the purpose of the fire is to draw attention to the body. The killer wants it found and the fire is set so there is no risk the body will be burned. Despite having his throat slit the victim, a young man, has no blood on him - he is clean and his clothes are clean. In his hand detectives find a plastic bag with a piece of paper in it which says “No. 7”, implying there have been numbers 1-6.

This pattern is repeated twice but the detectives have nothing. Eventually they are contacted by a detective from Alabama who has had the same run of cases 3 years ago only he had Nos. 1-3. It seems the killer likes groups of three! Gradually they discover these are some sort of revenge killings and all the victims are young men who have assaulted or r@ped young women.

I found the pace of this story quite slow and repetitious. And the Det. Rachel Ryder character was really very annoying. I don’t know why she had to be so rude but she p1ssed off everyone. I don’t know how Bishop put up with her through 5 books. And she had to be right all the time because her gut told her so! This ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger and while I had no intention of reading the earlier books I thought I might read the follow up. But now I’m not sure I could put up Rachel with again. Most of this author’s books are very highly rated so you should make up your own mind but I didn’t really enjoy this. Many thanks to Netgalley and Severn River Publishing for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

2.5 stars rounded up.

Detectives Ryder and Bishop are back in @carolynridderaspenson’s 5th book in the series! I love the dialogue between Detectives Ryder & Bishop. It can provide humor during the crime procedural and dark subject matter of murders. In Body Count, the Detectives find themselves on the trail of a serial killer who is killing men who have been accused of rape or attempted rape. The ending is a cliff hanger and I cannot wait for book # 6 in this series!

Thank you @netgalley and @severnriverpublishing for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoy this series and this book shows it has seemed to hit its stride. Rachel and Bishop are drawn into another case with a game playing killer. The cat and mouse aspect had me glued to the pages. While Rachel isn't the easiest character to like, she has grown a lot since book one and I feel invested in her now. I also liked the way Kyle and her were this time. And you gotta love Bishop! Plus the other members of the team played such a great role in the case. The pacing kept me interested. And I personally loved the ending. I like knowing there will be a next book in a series I enjoy.

This is my first introduction to this author and this series, and all I have to say is – how did I not know about this author and series before now? This thriller/police procedural kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing the entire time. It is an easy, fast read. I enjoyed all the characters, and I really enjoyed the descriptions of the police work – it felt very authentic. But HOLY COW the ending – absolutely jaw dropping!!!! It was completely unexpected!!!! I also never felt lost reading the 5Th book in this series without having read any of the other books. I can’t wait to ready more of this author’s books.

You really need to pre-order this book now!

am not going to apologize for enjoying a good book and some wine .Might have been confused for the first few chapters then the story got to me all the moments of oh? whats going to happening ? i was so shocked ,suprised .Each character had something interesting . I loved this book its definitely a five star .Thank you to the author and netgalley

I'm enjoying this series and this is another gripping and entertaining instalment that kept me on the edge till the end.
Well plotted, interesting characters
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Body Count by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is about Detective Rachel Ryder and her partner, who are hunting a serial killer in Georgia. This killer is leaving numbers as his only clues...but nothing seems to add up.

This was an okay read for me. I just didn't quite connect with the main character and felt the story dragged a bit in the middle. The story did have some twists and turns, but not enough to really capture that it was a gripping thriller. And the ending was not as satisfying as I would have thought.

I would give Body Count a 3 out of 5 stars. I would still recommend this writer, though, and will read other books by this author.

#BodyCount #NetGalley @SvrnRvrPublish

Body Count follows Detective Rachel Ryder and her partner as they chase a serial killer in Georgia.
This was a miss for me. Admittedly, I didn't realize this book was part of a series and I haven't read the other titles in the series. It was easy enough to follow and it didn't seem like I missed much by not reading the others. The premise of the story was interesting enough but I could not stand Ryder. She was arrogant, bratty, and selfish. She really didn't seem to do much but it was repeated ad nauseum how she was such an amazing detective. I felt like the story dragged a little and the ending was underwhelming.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.