What Remains by Wendy Walker is a gripping thriller where Detective Elise Sutton, an expert in solving cold cases, faces a harrowing choice that turns her life upside down. After saving a stranger's life, she spirals into guilt and soon discovers that the man she rescued is not who he claims to be, setting off a dangerous game that puts herself and her loved ones in peril. Wendy Walker is an auto-read author for me so I was super excited to hear she was releasing a new thriller this month! This was an absolutely gripping read! Right from the first page, I was completely engrossed in the story, caught up in the thrilling cat-and-mouse chase, the unraveling secrets, and the deep dive into each character's background. One aspect that I particularly enjoyed was the alternating perspectives between Detective Elise Sutton and the kill room. This narrative technique added a refreshing dynamic to the story. I was fascinated how Wendy Walker weaved in details on how to commit the perfect murder which added an extra layer of suspense. I also appreciated the way Elise balanced between following protocol and taking matters into her own hands. It added complexity to her character and made her journey all the more compelling. Throughout the book, the writing style and pacing were spot-on, ensuring that I remained engaged and eager to discover what would happen next. However, the only aspect that didn't resonate with me as much was Elise's personal drama. In my opinion, it could have been omitted without compromising the overall strength of the book. I highly recommend picking up What Remains if you're a fan of psychological thrillers.

If you ask anyone who knows me, they know I LOVE Wendy Walker. Ever since I read the first book, I automatically get excited for her next!

Sadly, I struggled with this one. It is a slower pace story, and I was just waiting for something to happen page after page. I couldn't connect with the characters, no matter how hard I tried. Writing this review makes me so sad because Wendy is always an instant 5 Stars when I finish her books.

While this definitely wasn't my favorite, I'm looking forward to the next!!

Detective Elise Sutton spends her days working on cold cases. She has a keen ability to understand the minds of criminals and how to crack old crimes. But when shopping for her family at a department store, she is faced with a shooter and has to make a split-second decision to shoot the man. Wade Austin, the man she saves, mysteriously leaves the scene. Although hailed as a hero, she is haunted by taking another life. When Elise finally meets Wade, she is soon caught up in an intense cat and mouse game as the man she thought would be grateful, starts to stalk and threaten her. She is determined to figure it all out while trying to also protect her family.

In What Remains, author Wendy Walker has created a captivating story that was hard to put down. Elise decides to take time off to unravel what is going on, acting as a lone wolf. Her actions and decisions are often foolish and very dangerous, but this keeps the tension high. There is a secondary story also taking place that, at first, seems unrelated but Walker does a good job bringing everything together. A gripping, solid thriller.

4,5 ⭐️
I found this one hard to put down and I’m glad I had a “rest” day during my travels so I could devour it pretty fast.

I love the way the author has brought together the stories by the two narrators and I really enjoyed the fast paced cat-and-mouse game

What Remains by Wendy Walker
3.5-4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wendy Walker's newest book tells the story of Elise Sutton, a cold case detective from a small town. Elise was in a local department store when a shooter entered the store and she made the choice to save countless lives by taking his. As she works to find a new normal and battles her PTSD from the event, the thought of a survivor in the building has not left her memory. When Elise meets Wade Austin, she had a sense of comfort and closeness being able to talk about the event but that quickly dissipated as she began to know him and he revealed the danger he’d been hiding.

What Remains is well written and a solid read! I enjoy a suspense/psychological thriller and I liked this because of the subtle hints that guided the reader through the twists in the book (yet you still feel surprised!!)

Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone publishing for allowing me to read an advanced reader's copy of this book! Thank you to Wendy Walker for writing another great book!

Trigger warnings- gun violence in a public place, assault, PTSD/mental health, drug use

In typical Wendy Walker fashion, we're brought into the story of a police officer defending innocent lives and being forced to take a life. She feels guilty for taking this young man's life and begins to withdraw into herself. She ends up opening up to the man she saved. That was her first mistake and one that followed her through the entire book. Definitely kept me guessing!

“We all see ourselves a certain way. Then we catch a glimpse in a new mirror or a photo we haven’t posed for. We hear our voice on a recording and are stunned at how we look and sound.”⁣
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Thank you so much @thrillerbookloverspromotions @blackstonepublishing @wendywalkerauthor @librofm for my amazing copies of What Remains!⁣
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I’ve read one or two Wendy Walker books, and they always make me squirm and anticipate the worst. She gets under my skin and stays there like a tattoo to remind me that it’s not that far fetched in today’s society. What Remains was such a creepy and indulging cat and mouse game that had me on edge.⁣
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Audio was phenomenal. Gabra Zackman and Peter Ganim had amazing dual POV. I never favored either/or like I usually do where there’s two readers. It’s a great listen that I highly recommend.⁣
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Such an interesting concept and always great delivery. Wendy Walker is such a great thriller writer and y’all have to check this book out ASAP! What remains is out 6/13! ⁣
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QOTD: I’m in a major slump. What should I read and get out of my funk?

Thank you to @blackstonepublishing and @netgalley for my advance copy!!! Wendy Walker is an auto buy for me so I knew I was in for a treat!

This book seeps in tension. Walker really knows how to write about trauma, and we had a lot of it in this book. Its full of obsession, deceit, and a bit of self-loathing. Her characters are vivid and full of real-life emotion. Even the “villain” which has moments of humanity. Elise becomes a hero in an instant and then is left to pick up the emotional pieces herself. We get lots of inner dialogue (in the best way) and her attempt to accept the guilt that is involved with a work casualty.

The pacing is very well done in this one as well. It is perfection in suspense as Walker is so good at. I truly did not know where this one was going. I thought I picked up on a major red herring halfway through and I was still wrong! I appreciated the two storylines running simultaneous and I liked seeing the intersection. This gave me a bit of How to Get Away with murder vibes a bit which was intriguing. I also thought the length was perfect and the ending complete. A smash as expected!

This book has two separate storylines. One where police are investigating a murder at a remote kill house that is used by hunters in the woods, and the story of Elsie, a cold case detective who while shopping, shoots and kills a man who opens fire in the store. The man whose life she saves becomes obsessed with her and begins stalking her. This creates a true cat & mouse chase story!

At first I had a hard time seeing how the two story lines connected, but they came together at the end perfectly and left me shocked! While I was rooting for the main character, Elsie, there were times I wanted to scream! Due to all that she was going through, she didn’t make the best decisions and took matters into her own hands…. A LOT! It did leave for great suspense.

I flew through this book and it definitely did not disappoint !

When Elise kills a mall shooter she is considered a hero, but she begins to spiral wondering if it was necessary. When she bonds with one of the witnesses, she starts to feel relief about her actions- until he starts to become aggressive. This ends up in a wild game of cat and mouse where Elise is being targeted and her life begins to unravel in every way.

This is my third book I have read from this author, and my least favorite. The chapter format was a bit confusing, but I wonder if that was just formatting for the arc/ebook and if it would be more clear in a physical copy. The Kill Room chapters took a long time to prove relation and it took me a few of these chapters to realize the narrator was not the same as the other book, which led to a lot of the confusion.

I liked the build of the story, but a lot of Elise's behavior was too crazy for me to follow. I understand her motives in playing Wade's game, but she talks so much about protecting her family that not reporting him breaking in and hiding in the house seemed too dangerous and out of character. Aside from Rowan, I did not find any characters to be likable so I did not necessarily care what happened to anyone.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own

Let me say that Wendy Walker is a favorite author and I will still seek out her books in the future. Previously I have read three of her titles( All is Not Forgotten, The Night Before, Don't Look for Me) and they have all been four-star hits. But What Remains wasn't my favorite. It wasn't a psychological suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat. I had many moments where I started and put aside the novel. I had a difficult time connecting with a character that decided to never confide in any other character. Also, I was consistently distracted from the case of her taunting stalker by her personal obsession with checking up on her husband. However, the last few chapters were very intense and that saved it a little bit.


There are plenty of fabulous reviews and high ratings so I am an outlier in regards to my feelings.







#WhatRemains #NetGalley.
Expected Publication Date 13/06/23
Goodreads Review 12/06/23

Wendy Walker is a new go-to author for me and I really enjoyed this! I couldn’t put this down, it was so engaging and while there was no huge twist to me it didn’t take away from the story! Everything wrapped up and came together in the end. So good!

Thank you NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Wendy Walker for the advanced copy of What Remains in exchange for my honest review.

Another winner from Wendy Walker! (Say that ten times fast)

This book starts off with a bang and doesn't let up until the end. I was completely enthralled the entire time I was reading, which is no easy feat for me these days.

I have loved everything I've read by Walker so far, and I feel confident saying fans of her previous books will enjoy this one too!

Thank you NetGalley, Wendy Walker, and Blackstone Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I love Wendy Walker's books! This is my third one of hers and as usual she did not disappoint! I absolutely loved it. This story is told in dual timelines but is super easy to follow along! This one kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I couldn't put it down. This was one of the best police procedural books that I've read in a very long time and I loved the twist that it came with!

Wendy Walker has quickly become an auto-buy author for me and I highly recommend checking her books out!

4.5 stars for me rounded up to 5!

I loveddd Don’t Look For Me by Wendy Walker. When I saw she had another book releasing soon I needed it! I loved the ride What Remains took me on. I was hooked from the very first page and enjoyed the dual audio narrators so much. What Remains is mysterious, suspenseful and fast paced book. While I wish there was a bit more character development I can’t deny how I loved all of the twists and turns the book gave to me - it definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. Read this one and after you’re finished check out Don’t Look For Me!

Loved this! It grabbed me by page 2 and never let go.
Imagine shopping at a big box store and hearing popping noises. Where does your mind go first? What if you are a police officer and your training kicks in even if maybe your heart isn't really there yet? Could you confront an armed shooter? Could you pull the trigger? If you do, how do you think you would feel and how do you think it would affect you down the road?

Elise has small children, a hubby she loves, a life she loves. All is different now and she wants her previous life back. Her partner Rowan has demons in his past and understands her better than most others, but even he is not allowed into some of her thoughts and plans, which is risky for them both.

Inside the mind of a criminal is where her expertise in teaching lay, but can she figure out someone who has her knowledge and is using it effectively to keep her up at night and feeling threatened? What a great story of what it is like to try to solve a case when missing most of the pieces you need to make sense of it all.

Love her writing and thankful to NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

A long-time fan of author Wendy Walker (my 7th of her books), returns following Don't Look for Me with her latest crime thriller, WHAT REMAINS. A kick-off to her new Detective Elise Sutton series—she saves a life and then becomes caught up in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

As the book opens, Elsie is in a department store, Nichols Depot buying pink towels for her daughters when she hears two pops. She thinks she hears gunshots. Again two pops.

Her partner Rowan (former marine) is circling the parking lot because she said she would not be long. He has his demons.

She has spent 12 years in the department; this is the first time she has drawn a weapon in the outside world. (Strange) Her four years on active patrol had been quiet, and for the last 8, she has worked cold cases. (wow, this is dangerous)!

She has to balance the loved ones missing and dead, the empathy and implications of horrific crime with everyday life. She has never sought the thrill of the chase or a crime unfolding before her eyes.

Now she is here, ill-equipped for what she knows is happening.

She is married to Mitch (who was unfaithful to her 4 yrs. ago), with two daughters, Fran and Amy. She is a cop. One that is being tested. Rowan hears everything on her microphone. He is coming in.

She has a second to react. A shooter is pointing a gun. There is another guy he is pointing to. She yells police officer drop your weapon. The other man moves toward the dressing room, and the gun is aimed at him, and moves with him.

She aims and pulls the trigger. Her life is forever changed. Guilt-ridden, she will worry if she did the right thing. She becomes obsessed with knowing what happened and why? Was he going to kill the other guy? Did the two guys know one another? Did she shoot the wrong guy?

What about the pregnant woman in the dressing room and Wade's behavior she learns of later?

Elsie studied forensics because she was drawn to the order it created—solving puzzles and mysteries. She taught at the local college classes on evidence and crime scenes.

The novel alternates between the shooting, Elsie, and the guy she saved, now her stalker and worst nightmare, and the Kill room.

The kill room is about 36 miles from the department store in a rural area with thousands of acres of woodland in state preservation. No public utilities and a trail to a lookout. Available to licensed hunters for two weeks during the fall to reduce the deep population.

Now there is a body. Two hunters discover the remains. Three years earlier, a man was murdered at the same shelter. The press dubbed it the Kill Room, where hunters take their kill to clean and dress.

This shelter had a wood-burning stove, a well, and a hand pump in the main room. It also had a large animal cremation oven in the basement, which the media focused on when the body was found.

We learn about bones, cremation, DNA, teeth, chemical composition, and the CODIS database. We also learn about how to commit murder and get away with it.

Mind-bending, alternating parts following Elise, Guy 404 (the victim she saved who says he is Wade Austin, but not his real name), now her stalker, and Clay Lucas with mental problems, who found the gun—the shooter.

Told from dual perspectives in alternating chapters, Wade (404) and Elsie. Wade is always one step ahead of her, and she learns he has taken her classes, so he knows how to get around cops and the law.

Detective Elise Sutton is very complex and not a normal cop. She is, at times, unhinged, impulsive, and has fears and weaknesses.

The book started with a bang, and then with the other Kill Room, and the back-and-forth cat and mouse became a little drawn out and repetitive. I did not connect with Elise as a character at all. She seems withdrawn and out there. I cannot put my finger on it, never quite read anything this bazaar.

While I enjoy Wendy's books immensely (an excellent writer, especially the literary suspense) and psychological fiction (her strengths), I was honestly not wild about WHAT REMAINS.

This one does not have the normal literary elements I find appealing and drawn to with her past novels. This is more of a wacky crime suspense. Even though Elise is not experienced with street smarts, her strengths are forensics, planning, and teaching. She is more behind the scenes solving cases.

At times I thought she was as obsessed as the stalker, trying to beat him at his own game. I'm not sure I like this series; however, because this is Wendy Walker, I will try the next one and see if it is different. I had to skip through many parts to get to the end.

You are unsure how the two storylines connect, but with all the crazies, you anticipate where the showdown will occur. I found it drawn out and did not hold my interest. I had high expectations and think I was a bit disappointed. At the same time, this is still four stars for me, just not my usual WW 5 stars. I am sure it will appeal to a certain audience.

If this is your first book by Wendy, you may enjoy it; however, I am spoiled by her writing with her previous six books, so I am comparing it. I am getting a little picky since this is my 183rd book YTD (mostly thrillers), and this is only June 12th, not quite mid-year.

A bit of a cautionary tale/trigger about guns, violence, mental health, and why killers watch shows and read and learn about how to kill. (not a fan). Guns in the wrong hands are readily available for people with mental illness, kids, violent people, or those high on drugs—which is not a good thing in our society of gun control. It must be stopped. Elsie does not make you feel very safe either as a cop.

Thanks to #BlackstonePublishing for an ARC via #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a different publisher, so maybe the difference.

JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 13, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
June 2023 Must-Read Books List

Other WW books I have read or listened to:
Don't Look For Me 5 Stars (FAV)
Emma In the Night 5 Stars
All Is Not Forgotten 5 Stars

#AuthorElevatorSeries QA Interview with Wendy:
Don't Look for Me

Audio
American Girl 5 Stars
The Night Before 5 Stars
Hold Your Breath 4 Stars

Thank you #NetGalley and #BlackstonePublishing for an arc of #WhatRemains in exchange for an honest review.

I read Don’t Look for Me by Walker last year and enjoyed it, so I knew I wanted to read her next novel. What Remains kept me engaged and I’m grateful to have been shared a copy to review.

This novel was told in dual timelines, yet it was easy to keep track of what was transpiring in both. Walker’s approach was skillfully thought through and I felt it all tied together well. Her character development was perfect and contributed to the stage Walker was creating.

When off-duty detective, Elise Sutton, stumbles into an active shooter situation while shopping for towels at a local department store, her life is changed in an instant. While hailed as a life-saving hero, something nags at Elise and she uses her skills as an expert in profiling murderers, which leads to a roller-coaster fast cat and mouse chase. Well written with caring and likable characters this one is a top notch vacation read.

Very cat and mouse and suspenseful but I had a hard time connecting with the main character who didn’t confide in anyone and sought to find her stalker on her own. It would have been good to see the story told also from the antagonist’s point of view to explain what made him the way he was. Well-plotted and smart thriller.

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.