Bonus star alert! This would get 6 stars from me. Every element of a fantastic read is here. A jaw dropping, heart stopping plot. Characters so well written that it makes you genuinely care for them. Twists and turns and suspense galore. This story was shocking and horrific and I had to read it in one sitting to know what happened. This book had me fully invested from page 1. A fantastically phenomenal suspense filled rollercoaster!!! This MUST top your summer reading list!!!

I read a lot of crime/mystery novels and they tend to get either 3 or 4 stars from me, but occasionally I come across one worth 5 stars in my rating. I was very pleased to find just that with this book by Jess Lourey. How have I not noticed her books before now? She has taken the detective novel recipe and thrown all sorts of extraordinary ingredients in the mix.

Of course we have here the main character trying to solve the crime and save the abductee, but added in to the mix are some very interesting character traits as well as childhood history and work history and an unexpected secret!

The side stories are riveting in themselves and create a non stop intense read.

I want a sequel. And I'm immediately searching out the author's other books.

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Jess Lourey is an author who I love. As soon as I see she has a new book coming it automatically goes onto my TBR list. I adore her books set in the 80's and Litany is probably my favourite book of hers to date. The Taken Ones may have just taken that slot!

When it comes to female leads, Jess (Author) writes perfect characters for me. Van is a strong character, flawed - certainly. But she is a dream to read about and not because of her 'gifts'. I felt a kinship throughout the story with Van. I felt her struggles, her pain and her desperation at times. I also loved her back story. I hope we hear more about Frank's farm in future books. Harry though, there's something about Harry that really opened my eyes, especially in that epilogue chapter. I hope in future books we hear more chapters from his voice. I cannot wait to read more of Steinbeck and Reed and hope we don't have long to wait for the next book (Although this isn't due to release for some months yet, I do feel I'll be waiting a while). A book with missing children is never something I go into knowing it will end with rainbows and unicorns. At best you may find the missing children but chances are what they endured will be incomprehensible. I won't give spoilers here, but essentially there are two cases in this book and both are solved. You won't be left with questions (Well maybe about the lead characters but not related to the cases) and will come out feeling fulfilled. The path is harrowing, dark and a good pace. Strong enough to make you consume the book quickly. I read this over 24 hours and even at gone midnight when I was tired, didn't want to put it down. Housework could wait this morning, I needed to finish it and see what would happen. Was this predictable, no. Did I work out the who's and why's, no. Jess (Author) I feel, almost writes books just for me! That's what it always feels like. Like she knows what I want to read and takes me on a dark adventure.

If my review shows anything its that I'm a huge Jess Lourey fan. I have both received ARC and purchased her books. I am happy to pay when I know what I'm about to read will be to my tastes! A solid 4 stars, I cannot wait to explore this series more in the future! If you like a good mystery thriller, I highly recommend The Taken Ones.

Many Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Jess Lourey never disappoints. I loved this book so much I read through the night. I found it difficult to put down. I just had to know the ending, now. I'm already drooling for her next book. Must read.

This was such a suspenseful story with a hint of magical realism. When two sisters go missing when heading to the creek with a neighborhood friend, and only one returns, this cold case remains to be completed. New information emerges as repeat cases return years later. If suspense if your genre, this is for you.

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Detective Van Reed is assigned to a murder case where the victim is buried alive holding a piece of evidence linking her to the murder of two girls in 1980! With the help of a forensic scientist, Harry Steinbeck, Van must uncover how these three murders are related. What happened 42 years ago? What happened now? As the case unravels, Van & Harry find themselves wrapped in this web of lies and secrets. But what secrets do Van & Harry carry? How far can they go before they put themselves in danger?
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This is my first Jess Lourey book. I enjoyed the author’s writing style, organization and thought out storytelling. Her characters were “formulated,” but it worked with the story. The story was intriguing, as well. It kept me asking more questions and trying to play detective myself. The gap in years seemed a lot at first, but it all came together in the end.

This was a fast and thrilling read. I hope there is a sequel! Sometimes it did feel like there was too much going on with the main characters secrets and back story, but I think if this becomes a series, I'll get the answers I was craving.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jess Lourey & Thomas & Mercer for an arc of The Taken Ones in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

So, I LOVED Quarry Girls last year so I’m super excited I got the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Taken Ones set to release on September 19, 2023.

In 1980 – three girls go into the woods in Minnesota, disregarding local superstition about the woods, but only one comes out and she has gone silent. There were never any traces or clues about what happened to the other girls. Flashforward to 2022, a cold case detective & forensic scientist have been teamed up to work on the case of the Taken Ones as recently, a woman was found buried alive holding the necklace of one of the missing girls. But Van and Harry have their own secrets they’re holding onto that tie back to the original disappearance of the girls. Will they solve the cold case? Do they already know the answers to the cold case? Can they find their current murderer before it’s too late?

Everything about this book hooked me – the author, the cover, the title, the description. It was pure heaven for this Thriller/Suspense lover!!! Plus, I absolutely love books that have cold cases revisited in the future. They’re very intriguing to me both in fiction and real life.

And this appears to be Book #1 of a Steinbeck & Reed series so we get to see this duo at work together again in the future!

This was an extremely quick read – I read it in one sitting last weekend. I had a great time trying to figure everything out in my head as I read along – most thrillers are so predictable, but this one was full of surprises. The pacing was great, easy to get into right away and keeps you interested all the way through. I loved Steinbeck & Reed. Their stories and chemistry were great and I very much look forward to seeing their storyline continue on in the future.

4.5/5 Stars

I feel ashamed to say I haven't read any of Jess Lourey's books before so this was my first encounter with her characters and crime stories. I thoroughly enjoyed it - a very fast-paced page turner with a wicked crime at its heart, an amazing protagonist with an equally amazing backstory and all moving at breakneck speed. I am happy to say this won't be the last Jess Lourey I read. Thoroughly recommended for lovers of crime fiction. I couldn't put it down until I finished it. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.

This was an entertaining and fast-paced thriller establishing the pairing of Cold Case Expert Evangeline "Van" Reed and forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck. The premise is the 1980 disappearance of two young girls, "the taken ones", which has haunted a small town in Minnesota.

The book starts off strong, creating the clear strong character of Van, who reminds me a bit of Alice Vega from Luisa Luna's series, if she was a little less hot headed, had a traumatic childhood backstory, and some supernatural powers. Steinbeck, on the other hand, has traces of the Gentleman Detective trope: well-dressed, impeccable record in the field, and very by-the-book. The two mains balance each other well.

As the book went on, I felt that there were so many subplots and elements that I didn't get to learn enough about. This is common in the first book of a longer series, but I wish it was longer and was able to flesh out more of these side stories and the supernatural element. One quarter of the way through the book, I realized that the two main character had been previously introduced in the short story "Catch Her in a Lie", which was mentioned so often that I had to stop and read the story before finishing the novel. You don't have to do this, as the novel summarizes the story for you, but that having that basis benefited me as a reader, and made me feel like I wasn't being left out of the larger significance of Van's actions and her relationship with Reed.

I will definitely be checking out Lourey's The Quarry Girls now, as it has great reviews on Goodreads and I want to read more of this author.

I would rate this more as 3.75. This is surely a crime lover’s delight! This novel from Jess Lourey follows a detective in cold cases, Evangeline ‘Van’ Reed, as she is called in to a case of a woman buried alive. When it’s revealed that this recent murder is linked to a notorious cold case, Van will stop at nothing to solve it alongside her team, which includes forensic scientist, Harry Steinbeck. The more they uncover, the more twisted the tale becomes.

I thought this was definitely well written. Jess’ ability to keep your full attention, while continuing to pull you into the story, is impressive storytelling. Though the novel is primarily written in Van’s point of view, there are a few chapters from the POV of the assailant—which are so unnerving and chilling to read.

Some of the early on revelations were surprising, but felt like it was kind of thrown in there. It definitely had the potential to be more of a sucker-punch type of reveal. So, for me, it fell a little flat. Additionally, the main character, Van, is exceptionally unlikeable in the beginning. I almost feel as if that’s intentional; because she definitely grows on you as you learn more about her background and her inner workings.

Overall, I think this novel concluded really well. The cliffhanger it ended on was so surprising and has left me anxiously awaiting for the next book in this series to come out. A great read from Jess Lourey, and a fantastic introduction to a new series!

Being new to the thriller genre I didn't know what to expect when I went into this one. However it surprised me with how much I enjoyed it! It kept me guessing from the very beginning and had lots of twists and turns! This is a new author for me and I went in completely blind but I'm glad I did!

The first book in a new series: Steinbeck and Reed. This is a dark mystery thriller with a really well written premise - I love this mix of dual timelines, a previous crime connected to the present, I thought this was unique. I also liked learning about Van and Harry and seeing how they work together with the police procedural. I'd like to learn more about them in the next books and see what secrets they're hiding too. I would put a trigger warning as abuse is mentioned and is a big theme in the book so may be triggering to some.

Woah! 😲 I LOVED this book!!! 🙌🏻 Creepy & twisted. Just when you think you have it figured out, nope you don’t! I am a NEW fan. This was my second read by author Jess Lourey. Great character development. Moments full of tension, anxiety, and creepy vibes. This book gave me all the feels. Can’t wait for the next one!
Read the book, you won’t be disappointed.
Publish date: Sept 19, 2023

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the e-reader copy of The Taken Ones, allowing me to read this book for an honest review.

Oh em geeeeeee - five stars! No wait....ten stars! Make it twenty.

I could not put down The Taken Ones by Jess Lourey. The story begins in 1980 when three young girls go for a walk in the woods and only two return. The girls, nor their abductor, were never found and it became a cold case.

As we jump to present day, the recent discovery of body found in a shallow grave has enough evidence to open up the cold case of The Taken Ones. We meet Van Reed, a Cold Case Detective and her partner Harry Steinbeck, a forensic scientist.

From here the story goes from past to present, primarily in Van's POV. Everything is written so clear and smooth, I was very easily able to follow the storyline and get to know the characters. I loved Van. Her dismal past made her who she was in the present.

There is tension, action, stress, excitement....all the makings of a great detective mystery thriller. I am not normally a big fan of series books but I am super excited to note, this is book #1 for Steinbeck & Reed and I cannot wait to read more about these two together. The book ends with solid closure and opens the door for a new journey. I. CAN'T. WAIT!

Loved this book - highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advance e-reader copy to review. The expected publication September 19, 2023 - mark it on your calendar!

One thing I love about Jess Lourey's books is the setting is Minnesota based. Another thing I love about her books are her flawed characters. The Taken Ones is the first in a series and it will be a long wait until some questions get answered in subsequent books.

My reviews don't include spoilers. What I will do is recommend that you read The Taken Ones right away if you like mystery/thrillers. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance copy for an honest review.

I love Jess Lourey's thrillers...I found her via NetGalley with the Quarry Girls and have read her back log since then. The Taken Ones is the start of a new series with 2 interesting characters..Van and Harry and I'm so excited to know more about these 2! Great pace, characters and mystery!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Thomas Mercer for the ARC. I just have to say that this story is such a heartbreaking story; it drew me in right from the beginning. 3 girls go into the woods to go swimming, and only one comes back totally traumatized, with no memory and no trace of her friends. I think that the author did a great job going to and from the past and present both were blended together,

After reading The Quarry Girls and her new book, The Taken Ones, I’m an official Jess Lourey fan!

The Taken Ones was such an intricate, thoughtful mystery/thriller. I am really hoping Lourey turns this into a series because I need more Van & Harry in my life.

Van’s backstory reminded me of the FLDS and Warren Jeffs (trigger warning for abuse) and I found it an interesting component to the story. At first, I wasn’t sure about the supernatural-ish element with Van’s visions, but I think it worked well in story. Overall, I loved it and I will be anxiously waiting the second book!

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the chance to read this book!

Prepare yourself. This one is going to stick with you for a long time.
Summer 1980....
Location: Minnesota
Three girls go into the woods and only one returns and the one that does is not the same.

Jess Lourey weaves yet another tale of mystery and murder and introduces her latest characters -cold case detective Van Reed and forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck . I am hoping this is the beginning of a long and exciting series because if Book 1 is any indication, readers are in for a thrilling ride.

The thing that drew me into with this book was the connections between two different time periods. A cold case from 1980 and a present day case had links that were complicated and difficult to unravel but the build up to the conclusion of the book was amazing. I have come to expect nothing less from this author and must admit that I neglected everything else once I started reading this latest offering by Lourey. How does she do it? And now does she continue to do it so well?

Characters in this one hold secrets and just enough of a past to promise the reader an enjoyable, if somewhat scary, read and this reader is anxiously waiting for more. My only disappointment -- that it ended.

I will be looking for Bendy Man everywhere I go now and keeping my eyes open wide.
Thanks to the author, Net Galley and the publisher for providing an advance reader copy for my honest review. A million stars for this one, folks. It's that riveting.