Another great Jess Lourey book! I was instantly hooked. Great characters, a story that drew me in and held my attention the whole time. It could have turned into "too far out there" and unbelievable but it was told in such a way that made it completely believable. I want to read more Reed & Steinbeck adventures!

Did I read this entire book in one sitting? Yes. Yes I did. Do I need more Steinbeck and Reed adventures right now?! Yes. Yes I do.

This book is a true crime/mystery lovers dream. Every single one of Jess Lourey’s books have hooked me from page one - this one was no different. I was completely shocked and creeped out by the reveal of who done it. And I will probably have nightmares about it lol.

4.5/5 stars! Thank you to Jess Lourey, NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for an e-ARC of The Taken Ones! I loved the Jess Lourey book I’d previously read, so I was beyond excited to dive into this one and it didn’t disappoint!

This book has multiple points of view & different timelines, which are both things I enjoy in a thriller and, of course, lots of twists and turns along the way! I absolutely hope that we see another Steinbeck and Reed thriller come out again soon because I absolutely loved them and their dynamic. I absolutely recommend adding this one to your TBR list and grab it when it publishes late this year (available to preorder on Amazon now).

Ooh, I hope this will be a series, I said, as I completely oblivioused past the cover indication that it will be. In something that's turning out to be a trend for me, at least with the last couple of books I've read, this one is my favorite so far of the author's. It was a perfect storm of why--I really liked the storyline and I reaaally liked the characters. When there was the reveal about Van and you-know-what, I think that was the moment where I wished for a series. I know I said something aloud at that point, probably like, "Ooh, that's good." And I look forward to continuing to proclaim audibly my judgments of this series.

Please, please, please let this be the first of a series!! This might be my new favorite! The layers of mystery & suspense remain intriguing throughout. I don’t want to include any spoilers, but I’ll add you might want to adopt a dog by the end as well. Twisty & suspenseful yet filled with heart.

Jess Lourey does it again with her new horror-thriller novel. When I heard that Jess was going to do a series based on her characters from ‘Catch Her In A Lie’ short story, I knew I needed to not only preorder The Taken Ones but I wanted to get my hands on an ARC (and was delighted that Jess provided copies for her review group).

With that said, getting a deeper insight into who Van Reed is as a character and what made her do the things she did in ‘Catch Her In A Lie’ falls easily into place. Van is also admirable. She had an interesting but traumatic childhood. And although she pushed herself to be her greatest self, Van still struggles with that trauma.

As for Harry Steinbeck, let’s just say that the ending to ‘The Taken Ones’, definitely makes you crave more. Harry is a complex character but there is obviously a dark secret about him.

The Taken Ones is darkly entertaining. With it’s mix of horror, thriller, and a sprinkle of nightmares, you would not want to put this down.

I really enjoyed The Taken Ones. Clever storyline to say the least and I admired how the mystery was pulled together. There was a lot going on, many characters with back stories but was easy to follow. Born and raised in Minnesota I could easily identify the many locations described - that was just an added bonus bringing the story home ... and more relatable. I found myself wanting a sequel the moment I finished. Well done Jess!!

I realize now that I am so thrilled to have discovered Jess Lourey at the start of her Minnesota Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem adult thrillers, back in 2019 with “Unspeakable Things” then “Bloodline,” “Litani,” and “The Quarry Girls.” Her books are usually offered on Kindle Unlimited and I always recommend her when I find a fellow subscriber. “The Taken Ones” also takes place in Minnesota and is yet another triumph in storytelling. And the fact that the cover is subtitled “A Steinbeck and Reed Thriller” made my heart leap already knowing that there’s a sequel in the works!

This new partnership consists of Evangeline/Van Reed (she/her) and Harry Steinbeck (he/him). Van is a cold case detective and Harry is a forensic scientist. The cold case is known as “The Taken Ones” which occurred in the device-free, internet-less 1980s, when creepy stories about the woods were mainly local legend and word of mouth, not part of a click-bait “Minnesota’s Top 10 Haunted Legends” list. This was also the popular days of olive loaf sandwiches, may they remain forgotten. Three girls (two third graders and a kindergartener) entered a wooded area alone (something that a Millennial parent would never let occur in the 2020s) and only one, now mute and in shock, with barbecued feet, came out. The missing girls became the cold case of the title, along with the myth of Bendy Man (Slender Man’s flexible family member). In the present day, a shallow grave suggesting a tie to the past is discovered and this beckons the skills of Harry. The narrative also involves a police officer who was also on scene 42 years ago and just despises the cold case agents for reasons that seem suspicious.

Van also has a past as an abused child who escaped a cult and she has a supernatural skill: lucid dreams that lead her to the identities of truly bad people.
She also has some moral issues chasing her that could make this “a Harry Steinbeck Thriller” next time. It was challenging to see how Van’s character would develop and if the reader could keep rooting for her (yes). The partnership with Harry, tenuous at first, became its own amazing journey. The next book in this series can’t come soon enough. 5 stars!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review! This book will also be a Kindle Unlimited selection.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Ice blue, brown and even rarer gray eyes, but no green ones.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The setting is the creepy woods. Creepy things are appropriately growling within the darkness. Van does know about the value of marigolds as companion plants to tomatoes.

I absolutely loved this book, I read it in a few days. If you follow Jess on Instagram or Facebook, you'll see pieces of her and her life peek through.

This book had all my favorite things included in it: rescue, vision, suspense, twist and turns. Every time I thought I had it figured out, there was a twist that brought new suspicions.

I can see why Loures is an Edgar-nominated author because her latest The Taken Ones is excellent. Firstly the title is unique and exciting. Secondly the story itself is fast paced and blends an intriguing missing children cold case with an equally interesting current murder investigation and possible police and politician corruption. Leading the investigations is lovable trauma survivor "Van."
The book is relatable for fellow trauma survivors, but can also be very triggering.
Thank you Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for the digital review copy.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

3 little girls go into the wood on a hot summer’s day, they need to walk through the wood to get to the creek for a swim. Only one of the girls come out of the wood with no memory of what happened to her sister and friend. Many years later a woman is found murdered buried alive is she one of the missing girls.

Van and Harry work together to solve this decades long cold case. Van has her own demons and visions to contend with and Harry is immaculate both in his forensic investigation and appearance. They work against the apparent apathy of the local police force who worked on the case many years ago . The common theme from the witness statements is the urban legend “ the bendy man “. The cold case team are working against the clock to prevent another murder.
The book is written in chapters both from Van and the unknown murderer.
Will Van and Harry win the race against time and solve the cold case. A well written book , well defined characters a race to the end .
4 stars

Jess Lourey is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. After having read two other books by her, I knew I'd immediately want to read this one and wow, it did not disappoint. I loved Van Reed, detective and Harry Steinbeck and the dynamics of their relationship. The book started off with a bang and had me immediately wanting more. I feel like Lourey is a master at pacing her books and keeping the suspense going. I am so excited for their to be more Steinbeck and Reed stories....I am a fan! Big thanks to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Jess Lourey is an excellent story teller but she is not for the faint of heart.

In this newest novel Two girls vanished after taking a walk... many years later, woman buried alive is found. It's a combination of an old cold case and a brand new murder and because of it, Van (Evangeline) is forced to work with a detective she despises. More an more is revealed about Van and her visions as well as her traumatic upbringing in the cult.

This novel is gritty and dark and I loved every minute of it. If you love a scary procedural, like your detectives to be battling their own demons The Taken Ones is for you! #Thomas&Mercer #TheTakenOnes #JessLourey

I'm so torn by this one! On one hand, the mystery was engaging, and I loved Van and Harry and Kyle and their interpersonal drama. I liked the hint of supernatural with Van's premonitions and how her past contributed to who she is now. The characters, the plot, the detective work--all of this worked for me. Unfortunately, I think the EDS wasn't handled well with this one. Rather than being one aspect of a person, it became the entire thing the case hinged around and the focus seemed to be on the monstrous aspect of a very real and painful disability. I was disappointed in the stigma of disability as monster, disability as villain, disability as dangerous. I want more Van and Harry and Kyle, but I hope the author steers away from the disability trope in the future based on how it was handled in this book.

I was shocked by so much in this book!! It kept me wondering the entire time. I loved the ending and every part about it. The authors writing style is fantastic and easy to follow along with.

Van is working cold cases when a recent murder links up with the case of two girls who had disappeared in 1980. This was really good, and I'm already waiting for the next in the series. 4 stars.

A really strong start to a new detective series. A missing kids cold case has been reopened after a connected crime occurs, leading a detective and her partner into an investigation that brings to mind recent true events. I always find it fascinating and horrifying hearing about similar cases, where kidnapped kids are found years later, living with their kidnappers as wives and mothers or backyard captives. This particular book involves a detective with a lot of emotional trauma of her own, having been raised in a cult and also experiencing premonitions of crimes.

I enjoyed the supernatural lean of the book, and the venture into territory involving neighborhood myth and legend with “bendy man.” I’m interested to see what forthcoming books in the series hit on with Van’s seemingly psychic abilities.

My one criticism is how the senator’s case wrapped up. The author absolutely set up the scene for this case to be the next book in the series, and then it was wrapped up very quickly with a quick phone call and a police raid? AND she was a small part of the missing kids case conclusion?

Thanks to NetGalley, Jess Lourey and Thomas & Mercer publishing for an advance copy of this book. Can’t wait to read the next one!

I love Jess Lourey's books! She writes so similar to Wendy Corsi Staub (one of my favorites) and I love it!

This thriller had me at the edge of my seat! This was an absolute page turner! I highly recommend this book to everyone! The setting, the characters, the dual timeline, absolutely stunning.
I just reviewed The Taken Ones by Jess Lourey. #TheTakenOnes #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

It’s the Summer of 1980 and three young girls head into the woods for a swim.. but only one comes out with absolutely no memory of what happened to the others. Flash forward to the Summer of 2022, when a body of a woman is discovered, having been buried alive. Cold case detective Van Reed and forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck are called to the scene and notified that the woman was one of the missing “Taken girls” from 1980. Now it’s a race against time to reopen the cold case and try to find the remaining victim (who is possibly alive) and catch the killer. Facing her own demons from the past, Detective Reed struggles to keep her focus and all the while try and interpret the “visions” she sees which may help her to break the case before it’s too late. I loved the partnership of Reed and Steinbeck and am really excited this is going to be a series! Great novel that I gave 4.5 stars!