Honestly, this book was a page turner. It was really enjoyable and had me at the edge of my sit wanting to know who this Pollock Butcher was!

But then I was completely put off by the romance. It was so cringe and forced. It just felt like the genre of romance was just thrown into the book and not properly planned. I wanted to just skip through all the romantic scenes because they weren’t very enjoyable.

Also, there was a lot of drama… Too much was going on all at once and it was just overwhelming for me. I understand a thriller book is full of surprises, but here it felt like every character in the book was forced to be in the middle so we could suspect all of them, which I don’t think was very necessary.

Another great installment in this series. I did like the first book a bit better, but there was really nothing wrong with this one either.
I did like this thriller being told from a therapists perspective, made for an interesting read. This plot had a lot of twists and turns and a great ending. The romance mixed in the story wasn't as heartfelt as usual. Recommend the book and the series, but each can be read as a stand alone.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Beckett has seen Jo around but hasn’t had the guts to approach her until one night at the bar when his protectiveness takes over. He is instantly attracted to her and her intellectual mind but danger is lurking and soon Jo will find herself in the midst of killing spree.

Will she accept Beckett’s help and protection?

Trail of Deception by Amanda McKinney
Publisher: Montlake
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Romance
Expected Publication Date: April 4, 2023

Trail of Deception is the 2nd book in the On the Edge series by Amanda McKinney. This book can be enjoyed as a standalone mystery or as part of the series. I found it fascinating how the author chose to tell this mystery from the perspective of a therapist trying to help a victim and a search and rescue volunteer, instead of the police perspective. I loved seeing things from this angle!

This book is intense. There are so many twists and turns and unexpected occurrences that I did not want to put the book down! The characters are well-developed and fascinating. I found this book to be truly captivating!

There is also a steamy, steamy romance with so much chemistry!!!!

I can't wait to see what's to come in this series! I highly recommend reading Trail of Deception and if you haven't read the previous book, Buried Deception, check that one out too!!! You will love them!!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The element of mystery and the romance are always a yes for me but when they do seem to combine it becomes more of a yassified version for me. And that’s how I would encapsulate my whole reading experience. This was really one good solid read!!

After recently reading the first book, I knew I had to read this ARC and give my feedback. Between this one and Buried Deception, this one is definitely my favorite. I’m an avid romance reader, but I also love psychological thrillers and was excited to dive into this series.
Trail of Deception focuses on two characters, Beckett and Jo, who become entangled in a murder mystery. Beckett because he’s part of a search and rescue group tasked with searching for Aria, an autistic girl, and Jo because she ends up being the psychologist for Aria, who was found next to a crime scene. Clues begin to stack, and no one knows where they lead until the last possible second. Meanwhile, feelings blossom between Beckett and Jo.
I loved the protectiveness that Beckett had for Jo, along with the way he was there for her throughout. If there was anything that I could criticize about the book is that I knew who did within the first few chapters, which sucked in a way. But, I was still kept on my toes throughout trying to see when the characters would realize who it was. And Aria’s character? Amazingly written. I loved the big place she had in the story. I think Trail of Deception is different than other books I’ve read because it tackles more than one mental illness, illnesses that are a big thing in the world right now. This is a series that I’d love to read more of, and would recommend to anyone who loves psychological romances. There was enough suspense, as well as enough romance, that this would be a great read for anyone interested in the genre. Amanda McKinney did an amazing job of writing this, and I can’t wait to see if there will be more to the series!

In this thrilling instalment of the On the Edge series, secrets turn nasty as a search and rescue professional and a psychiatrist collaborate to apprehend a murderer during a dangerous winter storm.

Needing a chilling thriller, I am honoured to be granted access to this ARC cause I previously quite like the first instalment. Hence, I was quite excited to get through this book. The beginning was fast-paced, exactly how I wanted in a thriller book. The gory part of it, the psychotic behaviour of the killer, and the awareness of various sides of disabilities and mental illness that I wasn't aware of. The middle kinda give me an abrupt pause, it went from dangerously fast to very slow, the build-up chemistry between Becket and Jo felt off, I didn't buy their relationship as I didn't get the feelings between these two despite both of them showed interest in each other. I feel like the plot lack darker auras or themes. It felt more like a general fiction novel rather than a thriller one, or maybe I didn't get the genre right. Only the last part of the book got me hooked back into the story. The 'true' killer wasn't that surprising, but I appreciate the twist and turns which led to the big reveal. Overall, it was a decent book, but unfortunately I wasnt quite satisfied with the vibes I got from it.

I did not read the first book in this series, but I didn't feel that was an issue with reading Trail of Deception by Amanda McKinney. I did go back and forth on how to rate this book and how I felt about it. There were parts where I felt I was slogging through and other parts that were fast-paced.

It's a mystery and romance novel set in a small town, which I like. I also enjoyed getting to know the characters and liked how Jo and Beckett worked together.

The author did a good job of unraveling the story. I would read more by this author.

I would rate this a 4 out of 5 stars.

#TrailofDeception #NetGalley @AmazonPub

This is a thrilling page turner. This is number two in the On the Edge series, and I enjoyed the first so much, this was good, but I didn’t get the same buzz I did as the first. This one didn’t have the depth the first story did, I didn’t feel the compassion I did, but then I did really enjoy the story. The twists and turns just kept you hooked. I flipped and turned between who I thought it was, and what was going on beneath the surface. The setting was sublime, it was just some of the people that I struggled with. That being said I am excited to hear what we will see next in this series.

This is a very enjoyable suspense novel, full of well-drawn characters. Would recommend

Thank you to Amanda McKinney, NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book.

Trail of Deception is a solid romantic suspense that's worth the read if you're a fan of the genre, which I am. It's second in a series, but while the protagonists of Buried Deception have cameos, the book functions perfectly as a standalone. It's told in the first person, with alternating viewpoints (plus a few rogue chapters here and there). I always find myself stuffing first-person books to the bottom of the pile because they aren't my jam. However, I really liked Buried Deception and I like Amanda McKinney, so I went for it. Glad I did.

Here, we have search-and-rescue guy Beckett and psychiatrist Jo. Beck's been crushing on the doc from afar, which could be creepy and is also reminiscent of the first book's hero, who was also a bit of a stalker, but here's where the first person voice helps out. Beck is such a confident character, so getting inside his head to see how starry-eyed he is over Jo is pretty charming. Jo too radiates confidence, but in her head, things are a little less orderly. But things aren't always what they seem.

Together, they try to sort out the mystery of the serial killer in their midst who is now targeting Jo. I figured out who the killer was the minute the clue dropped, but this author is such a good writer that many will likely not notice it and will instead be distracted by one of several red herrings.

Beck and Jo's budding romance is well paced in some ways but feels a bit rushed in others, though the romance fortunately doesn't overpower the suspense. I do think the speed to ILY would have been more realistic if they'd known each other before this story, and it wouldn't have been a reach seeing as his friend is with her friend.

Overall, another great story. I'm assuming there are at least two more coming in this series (making Skull Hollow one of the most murdery small towns in America), and I look forward to them!

I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher and Netgalley. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!

I’m struggling to give this book a rating, and this review will be long. I hope this review is read with an open mind.

I will begin by saying I gave the first book in this series a rave review; it was a great romantic suspense novel that was the perfect escape from reality. I read it with pleasure. When I saw the second installment was being released, I excitedly read the synopsis. Then my heart sank. I debated whether or not I should read the book based on my reaction to the synopsis, but ultimately decided I wanted to give the author the benefit of the doubt and see how she would approach the subject matter.

As an autistic woman, I am really disappointed by how Aria, the autistic adult that is a potential suspect, is portrayed. I highlighted several passages that were quite disturbing to me. I take issue with a lot of the language around Aria - “creature” I think being the most offensive and dehumanizing. There is so much ableism, and so much pointing at Aria as being “other” and “not normal.” There are also a lot of generalizations regarding autistic children/adults that are simply wrong. (For example, non-verbal really isn’t used anymore, instead consider using non-speaking. Functioning labels like “high-functioning” are also discouraged.) I would recommend looking into resources like The Autistic Self Advocacy Network, which provide really wonderful resources for learning about Autism that are quite different from what is portrayed here.

I could say so much more on this topic, but as an autistic woman myself it simply makes me so sad to see the author use this disability in this type of sensational manner. There is so much generalizing here, and incorrectly doing so, that it could be harmful to those without experience with an autistic person, to believe some of the things written in the book.

I wish I could comment on the rest of the novel, but I was distracted by all of the above. There was a lot shoved into less than 300 pages, and the romance especially seemed incredibly rushed. I wish there was more there to explore.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity for my honest review.

A tale of murder, suspense, and innocence is what I think of when I began writing this review. Author Amanda McKinney manages to give us all this and more in her book. Ms. McKinney wrote the story of Beckett and Jo that held me spellbound not stopping until the end. I think the hero in the story is Aria who told her own story throughout the book.
An excellent book in the On the Edge series and can’t wait for the next one.

I loved Buried Deception, so I was excited to get an ARC of this book. It is well-written, fast paced, and easy to read. (And that cover.... chef's kiss!) The psychology aspect added an interesting layer, and I thought the inkblots and art therapy were really interesting, especially how they tied into the plot. On a technical note, I did find a few minor errors, but nothing that detracted from the story or affected readability.

My main beef with this story was that it was rushed. It didn't feel like there was much of an investigation into the murders before they figured it out (and I figured it out as well, before the reveal), and the romances felt a bit forced. The book is a bit short, so I think the author could have spent more time fleshing out the plot, characters, and relationships without making it too long.

This page turner is a mystery/romance, set in the small town of Skull Hollow, Texas.
A serial killer is on the loose, and his targets are total women. Though the first chapter paints (pun intended ?) a gory picture, that is about as grotesque as the details get, and even that wasn't too over the top.

Follow along as Jo and Beckett work together to uncover the mystery.

This book was easy to read, and enjoyable. The characters were well thought out, and likeable.

Thank you NetGalley and Amanda McKinney for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Trail of Deception is a definite page-turner and I enjoyed it immensely. Everyone in the small town of Skull Hollow Texas is on edge as a serial killer stalks and murders local women. The mysterious killer leaves no clues but there is a method to his madness. Dr Jo Bellerose becomes involved when she is asked to treat a young autistic woman who is the only witness to one of the murders. Beckett Stolle is the tracker who found the young woman and he's been nursing a crush on Dr. Bellerose. As the story progresses there is just the right amount of tension, mystery, and romance as Beckett proceeds to break down Jo's personal barriers. while at the same time trying to protect her as she becomies a target of the killer.

The book was a well-written easy read and I recommend it to fans of mystery/romance. I was a little cautious at first because the initial opening led me to believe the serial killer theme might get gory but that was not the case. All references to gore or murder or torture were kept to a minimum.

Thank you NetGalley, Amanda McKinney and Montlake for the opportunity to read and review Trail of Deception..

I love Amanda McKinney and LOVED the Berry Springs series which I will re-read in the future when I feel like going back to Berry Springs ;).

This new series is set in East Texas, a town called Skull Hollow. This is the second book of the series and although this book can be read standalone, you are really missing out by not reading the previous book "Buried Deception". The series star of the show in my opinion is a well written mystery storyline which is taking place in a picturesque backdrop of the swamps. The main characters are also well developed, particularly Jo's journey through her depression experience. Beckett, her partner is spot on.

Once again, would recommend this author along with any other books she has written (I have read them all!).

This is a dark and twisted novel that kept me up half the night reading.because I couldn't put it down. It opens with a very dark and graphic murder that leads to Jo, a psychiatrist, trying to make sense of. Beckett is also involved and inserts himself into Jo's life. He works for a private company in the security industry and brings a unique perspective to the case.

They make a formidable team, which quickly becomes important when the murderer turns his sights to Jo. What follows is a complex and tightly woven story that hooked me from the very beginning and kept me hooked until the very last page.

The author is a master of her craft and has created an exceptional novel. This is a must read for fans of the genre. The author is on my must read authors' list.