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.

I love all of her books. The storyline and characters are always on point. And the storyline line always takes you on a whirlwind ride. Would highly recommend.

Thank you @blondethrillerbooklover @blackstonepublishing @libro.fm for a copy of this book. Wendy Walker is one of my favorite and this book did not disappoint. I was sucked into the story from the first chapter with Elsie saving a life in a Target like store. I enjoyed the aspect of the book how this book explores what happens to the "hero" after a traumatic event. The story alternates between the present and the Kill Room and I was intrigued to see how it all tied together. I love how determined Elsie was to find the mystery man she saved and how she used her smarts to outsmart him.

I alternated between reading and audio and enjoyed both format.

Elise is a police detective who happens to be in a department store and kills an active shooter in the store. She is feeling guilty over if the shooting was necessary and if she saved anyone’s life due to the shooter had not injured anyone. Elise saw a very tall man in the line of fire, but no witness statement from him and she can’t find him until he happens to find her. Her judgment clouded she lets her guard down with this man and he proves to be very deranged. How far will she have to go to get free from this man and him haunting her family due to their “connection” following this shooting.

Twists and turns throughout. Enjoyed the storyline. Characters are well developed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone publishing for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. It has been a long time since I’ve read a police procedural THIS good! From the opening scene to the last page, this story moves at breakneck speed. I kept thinking about the story when I wasn’t reading it. I especially loved how Walker connected everything at the end. It was *chef’s kiss.* You won’t want to miss this one!

Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I have read all of Wendy Walker’s books and she never disappoints. This one might be my favorite, it was definitely a five star read for me, so clever and just so well done! I love a good procedural and this one has quite a twist to it that I absolutely loved. Detective Elise Sutton has her demons she is battling, and if that isn’t enough she is put in a situation where she has to choose one life over the other and is later seen as a hero. However, when she connects with the man who’s life she saved, she quickly realizes he is not who he says he is, in fact, there isn’t anything real about him, and so begins a game of cat and mouse that escalates quickly.

I literally read this in one evening, I could NOT put this down and trust me you won’t either, so get ready for that. Walker’s books are good at getting my heart pounding and she does it again here, but I’m ok with that. She is an auto buy, auto read author, and when this one is out on Tuesday, make sure you are swiftly adding this to your TBR, you won’t regret it!

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing, Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and LibroFM for the advanced copies to review.

WTF 1000x!! Wendy Walker is the master of creeptastic stories that will keep you on edge until the last chapter. The best part is when a twist comes, your jaw hits the floor, and you are completely stuttering WTF just happened!?! How did I not see this??

What appealed to you most in the story?

ALL OF IT!! I’m a huge fan of Walker's psychological suspense novels. Her creativity is gripping and I am always fascinated by the intriguing plots, and boy is this plot very intriguing.

This really is a unique and original story. It’s an emotional, intense, intricate, and thought provoking tale. Kaley and I were constantly discussing our guesses as to who was doing what was and what was going to happen next.

This is also a story that deals with the psychological aftermath of a shooting, but Walker weaves the aftermath with an action packed, mind bending and heart pounding, story. It is genuinely a disturbing drama but with a total what-the-f is going to happen next storyline.

How was the pace?

Mainly fast and at other times steady. Its a story that had me wanting to know what was going to happen next while biting my nails, and I now have no nails left!

Do you recommend this book?

YES!!! Walker is an absolute genius/magician and has created an unputdownable and terrifyingly creepy novel. This is a must read summer thriller!

What Remains by Wendy Walker (3.5 stars, rounded to 4)

[thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours, @blackstonepublishing, and @wendywalkerauthor for the #gifted book and having me on this tour!]

What Remains is a fast-paced, twisty crime fiction read! The action started from the very first chapter (literally) and didn’t let up until the end.

I love police procedural fiction reads, so I was immediately drawn to this book. The cat-and-mouse “game” throughout kept me intrigued. The ending somewhat caught me by surprise - I liked this twist and what it meant for the characters.

This was actually my first Wendy Walker book, and it won’t be my last!

Do you have an author that just always delivers for you? They're consistently great and you don't even need to bother reading the synopsis before hitting "pre-order" on their latest release? Wendy Walker is totally one of those authors for me and therefore it should be no surprise to anyone that absolutely loved What Remains.

This book totally surprised me. I went in blind (because if Wendy writes it, I will read it) so I had no idea where it was going which was super fun. I was on the edge of my seat with the scene in Nichols and could really see the entire situation playing out in my head which was terrifying. Where everything went from there with the 404, Elise and her relationship, and all the secrets was totally thrilling and so fun to read.

I had a hard time putting this one down. Elise made me so mad so many times but I still felt drawn to her and I was always rooting for her.

Per usual, the writing was great. Elise's emotions really came through the pages and I could feel my heart rate accelerating when she was in tricky situations or concerned for the well being of her children. The character development was really well done and the plot was detailed and well executed. Some aspects of the investigation felt a little far fetched but it made for great fiction!

This book almost read like an episode of 24 (remember that show?!) and it would definitely translate well to a mini series!

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the copy! I highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
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She save his life. Now he’ll never let he go.

This line drew me in and I immediately knew that I wanted to read this book! That and the fact that I have read and loved Walker’s books in the past! She just knows how to draw the readers into the books and keep them sucked in throughout the entire book. I loved the characters and just was so drawn to their journey of getting past such a traumatic event. Some readers might find it difficult with parts of the book being about public shootings, so just know that there is that potential trigger at the beginning of the book.

I loved the dual POV and how the story was also focused on what is called a “kill room” set in the woods where hunters will take their trophies to skin and what not. However, it becomes much more sinister where there are remains found there. I read this book so quick because I wanted to find out what was going to happen and how the two POV were connected! Overall, absolutely loved and will continue to recommend her books!
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This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

She saved his life…Now he’ll never let her go. I mean, how could you not be intrigued?

I’m always thoroughly entertained by Wendy Walker’s novels, but What Remains is some next-level 🔥. It’s without a doubt one of my top cat-and-mouse thrillers, where the teacher races to outsmart the student, and it seems like he’s always multiple steps ahead. I absolutely loved What Remains: the characters, the pacing, the idea of a remote cabin kill room. All of it.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to review!

This one hooked me right from the first chapter - very intense. I enjoyed the back and forth between Elise’s narrative and The Kill Room wondering how it would come together. It was so interesting reading about the forensics and how to get away with murder. It was such a good cat and mouse game! Some people may dislike Elise’s decision making skills, as she tends to do her own thing. Elise’s marriage issues seemed to be a little bit of filler and unsure if it was really needed.

A huge thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours for having me along on this tour & to the tagged publisher for my #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review! 🤗

✨𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?

I loved this one! That first chapter was started off with a BANG! WHOA 🤯 I really enjoyed the plot, the writing, and the complex characters. Wendy is absolutely brilliant, and it shows throughout this book. The intensity and the suspense definitely kept me from being able to put this one down. I thought that the dual POVs and alternating chapters really added to the story and helped with building the tension throughout. There were a few surprising twists throughout that I did not see coming. Let me just say that this is one of those books that plays mind games with you, and definitely keeps your attention throughout.

✨𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?

This is more of a crime detective thriller that a psychological thriller-but I loved every bit of it!

✨𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?

All of my thriller friends out there will love and devour this one!!! Go pre-order this one now!


𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.75/5

WOW! What a bingeable, crazy ride this was! @andrea and I devoured this one in less than 2 days! It’s the kind of story that sucks you in from the beginning and then you’re stuck on the crazy train. It’s the kind of story that had me going back and forth between ebook and audio because I couldn’t stop! It’s the kind of story with an ending that makes you hold your breath.

So many things I loved about this one:

•The Plot - an intricate story that I never guessed how it would all tie together (although I did guess one small part 🙌 but never the why).

•The cat and mouse game between Elise and Wade. You never really knew who had the upper hand with all the crazy! And Wade did some 😱 things!

•The dual POV - at first I wasn’t sure how it connected…but then it all clicked in fabulous fashion!

Andrea and I were about to pull out a whiteboard like the cops do and chart all the suspects and connections because we were trying so hard to figure it out 😂

I highly recommend this one!❗️I will warn you that I think the audiobook has a potential “spoiler” that I would not have caught on to while reading the book, but I still didn’t guess it even with that clue 🤦🏻‍♀️

Elise is a cop who works on cold cases. She does excellent police work, but she’s not out in the line of duty. But that changes one day when she’s shopping in a big box store and there’s an active shooter. She helps apprehend the suspect and is hailed as a hero.

But someone takes it a step too far. They are sending gifts and letters to her house and then photos of Elise and her young family. He antagonizes her and makes her so uncomfortable. She’s forced to look into this man, but he carefully covers his tracks. Why is he doing this to her?

What Remains is about getting into the mindset of a criminal to figure out how he thinks. Elise has to really dig into her own worst places to see where he could go next. Her marriage is on the rocks and this opens it much further after she’s not sleeping and truly obsessed with finding the truth. I think you would love this book if you loved the Netflix show, Mindhunter.

Many thanks to @suzyapprovedbooktours, @wendywalker and @blackstonepublishing for my advanced ebook.

What Remains is Wendy Walker’s newest psychological suspense novel. The main character, Elise, is a detective who used to teach a class about how to plan the perfect murder. With all that knowledge, she tracks her stalker, anticipating his every move, but what she doesn’t know is he is using that same information against her.

What I loved most about this book was the in depth journey into criminology and forensics. I also loved the dual investigations into Elise’s stalker and a seemingly unrelated murder in a kill room that hunters use to clean their catches. This book was a cunning game of cat and mouse and you’re just waiting to see who will come out on top.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I read Wendy Walker's, Don't Look For Me, a couple years ago and absolutely loved it.
What Remains is an addictive psychological cat and mouse game between Detective Elise Sutton and Wade Austin. The dual perspectives were exciting and I enjoyed trying to figure out how the two stories would come together.
What Remains is creepy, suspenseful, and couldn't put it down! If you're a fan of thrillers, you must read this book!

I have loved everything this author has written and was excited to be able to read and review WHAT REMAINS.

What Remains is comprised of two storylines. Police are investigating a murder at a kill house that is used by hunters in the woods, and the story of Elsie, a cold case detective who while shopping for pink towels for her daughters at a box store, shoots and kills a man who opens fire saving a man’s life in the process. The man whose life she saves becomes obsessed with her and begins stalking her.

I really enjoyed the cat and mouse aspect of the story; my heart would drop a little when one character would outdo the other and I would find myself screaming NOOOO in my head. Stories with stalkers are my favorite and Wade Austin’s character was very cunning and creepy.

I loved how the two stories finally come together at the end and how I was not able to guess any of it. I’m usually good at predicting a thing or two in a thriller, but I was completely in the dark with this one, which shows what a great author Wendy Walker is. What Remains is a gripping read that you will not be able to put down.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my e-ARC, and to @thrillerbookloverpromotions for having me on this promotional tour.

At first, I thought I’d read this book- the title was so familiar. But What Remains by Wendy Walker is new and fantastic. From the cover, I worried it would be a police procedural which I don’t typically enjoy but I know the author writes great books so I dove in and I’m glad I did. This book is fantastic.

Synopsis:

She saved his life. Now he‘ll never let her go.

Detective Elise Sutton is drawn to cold cases. Each crime is a puzzle to solve, pulled from the past. Elise looks for cracks in the surface and has become an expert on how murderers slip up and give themselves away. She has dedicated her life to creating a sense of order, at work with her ex-marine partner; at home with her husband and two young daughters; and within, battling her own demons. Elise has everything under control, until one afternoon, when she walks into a department store and is forced to make a terrible choice: to save one life, she will have to take another.

Elise is hailed as a hero, but she doesn’t feel like one. Steeped in guilt, and on a leave of absence from work, she’s numb, even to her husband and daughters, until she connects with Wade Austin, the tall man whose life she saved. But Elise soon realizes that he isn’t who he says he is. In fact, Wade Austin isn’t even his real name. The tall man is a ghost, one who will set off a terrifying game of cat and mouse, threatening Elise and the people she loves most.

If you haven’t read anything by Wendy, start with Don’t Look For Me which I read in a single sitting at night, into the morning hours. What Remains comes out on June 13.

Elise Sutton, a detective who works cold cases and also teaches a class on forensics, is shopping one day and finds herself in an active shooter situation. She is forced to kill the shooter, and Elise is hailed a hero for saving lives.

But Elise is traumatized and plagued by guilt and self-doubt at the taking of a life. Complicating matters are struggles in her personal life that magnifies her distress.

Enter Wade, the tall man who Elise saved when she killed the shooter. They seem to connect but things take a dark turn and a cat-and-mouse game begins when Elise is plagued by a stalker who threatens everything and everyone she holds dear.

I may not have always agreed with Elise’s decisions as she deals with the situation she finds herself in, but the author allowed her readers to get inside Elise’s head to understand her emotions and thought processes.

The narrative is interspersed with chapters of class notes called the Kill Room. I wasn’t sure at first how these chapters fit into the plot, but the two stories eventually collide in an explosive way.

This was truly a unique book in a sea of thrillers. The story was intricate, action-packed, and tense, with enough twists and turns to keep me furiously flipping the pages.

The author excelled at developing her characters, and delved deep into the psychological effects of trauma as well as mental illness.

The psychological component in stories gets me every time. The author’s work in trauma and psychology is evident in these pages. Relevant social issues are also addressed, but the author is subtle, never heavy handed, which I appreciated.

There’s a lot to unpack here and it would make a terrific book club choice. My book buddy, Marialyce and I had terrific discussions.

Some books benefit from being read in as few sittings as possible, and this is one of those books.

5 enthusiastic stars! Maybe my favorite thriller of the year, so far.