This one was a bit meh for me. I'm not sure if it will make more sense after I read the sequel but I didn't love it and I'm usually a fan of Lourey. I can pinpoint what exactly I didn't like, but it felt scattered and between genres and just didn't land. I plan to read the sequel, so I'll update this review if anything changes.

Thank you to Netgalley and Jess Lourey for ARC.

The Taken Ones was...fine. While I didn't dislike the story or the writing by any means, it just ticked the "fine" box for me. The story was paced very well and the villain was creepy as hell. However, of the two Lourey books I've read it's solidly in second place.

The Taken Ones is a typical police procedural, with an added bit of mystery with the FMC's psychic visions. The other Lourey book I read, The Quarry Girls, was so grounded in realism that the psychic nature of Van's visions took me out of the story whenever they happened. I consistently had a "Huh, that was definitely a choice," thought each time.

Knowing that this is a part of a series made the cliffhanger at the end expected, though still irritating.

This book had some of my fave things in it: a crazy murder and disappearance and a culty backstory. I love our FMC, Van and her very unique ability. She was such a badass and didn’t take anybody’s crap. I loved her relationship with her team and with Harry, the quirky forensic scientist. You could tell she was respected and just a damn good cop. Harry was so cute and interesting. He just seemed like an all around good guy. The murder in this book was wild and I was constantly guessing the murderer wrong. The disappearance and cold case is also crazy to hear about and how it intertwined with the current case is 🤯 🤯 This book had me racing to the end to see what the heck was going on. And the freaking epilogue….i cannot wait for book 2

I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

I loved the descriptive setting & characters, along with the intriguing mystery! I’m excited that this is the first in the series, and can’t wait to see where the detectives go next. This is as a great thriller!

This book was just “meh” for me. I felt like I was reading it because I had to finish it instead of reading it because I wanted to finish it. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was.

I loved the first book I read by Jess Lourey so I couldn’t wait to read her newest release! I really enjoy the way this book is about a Cold Case and has several other factors going on at the same time to keep you wondering if they’ll ever come together for a final ending or if all these strange stories and past events are just coincidence as they happen to people so close together. I really loved the FMC in this book, she was a powerful MC and stood her ground. I enjoyed learning about her past and how that made her who she was today, and aided in helping her solve this very old cold case. There’s also a little mind blowing story about dreams and visions that really threw me for a loop, but it was kind of cool to see how it played out in the end. This story is action packed and I can’t wait to read more by Jess Lourey, highly recommend if you’re a lover of Mystery and True Crime because her books feel like you’re reading on an actual cold case!

This book was completely a Jess Lourey book filled with suspense and thrill! I enjoyed every part of the book and it kept me guessing for more. I really enjoyed all the suspense in the book and loved that you never knew what was coming.

I read this so fast and it solidified Jess Lourey as a solid thriller author for me. She needs more hype! You know those thrillers that cause you to be annoyed you have to be a responsible adult and do things like put a book down to sleep so you can function and take care of your kids the next day? This is one of those. I just kept wanting to turn the page and turn the page, etc etc. because I was HOOKED until the very last page. That being said, it didn't feel exceptionally unique in it's plot which is why it is a 4 start and not a 5 for me. Regardless it was plenty captivating enough and I'm assuming this is going to be part of a series and absolutely plan on reading the next.

Huge fan of Jess Lourey, she creates a world that I feel is real.

Maybe it’s because this is a part of a series, but I didn’t feel as connected to this story as I usually am to Jess Lourey’s books. The characters were great and the story kept me interested and invested, however I was in a hurry to finish it. It felt like it went back and forth and a lot was happening but it was almost predictable.

I’d still recommend this read because Jess creates storylines and characters that you feel you’d be watching or reading about in the newspaper. I love her style.

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A true crime mystery that reads like a popcorn thriller. Was I here for it? Absolutely.

It’s creepy, mysterious, heart wrenching (check trigger warnings), and strong female leads. I was trying to put the puzzle together but ultimately didn’t figure it all out! A quick read. Past and present.

Good writing, good storyline - kept my interest and kept me guessing. Loved the ending! I have never heard of this author until this one, and once I did, I realized my friends had recommended and loved her writing. Will definitely be checking out more.

This book was really good. I enjoyed reading this book. It is a typical series start up through. There is a lot of back story and a lot of details. I enjoyed reading about them, but I don't enjoy the romance in the background. I felt like it distracted me from the story. This was a well written book, but just didn't fit me personally.

I’m officially a Jess Lourey fan. I loved her last book I read, and loved this one as well. She knows how to write a compelling psychological thriller that’s for sure

I really enjoyed this book, and am excited it’s a series! I love Jess Lourey’s writing! The somewhat psychic abilities were interesting to the story, and the same for both main characters backstory’s. I can’t wait to learn more about them, and hopefully new cases in upcoming books!

Where has this author been for my life?! This was gooooood! I loved this book and I am glad its a new series because I love these characters. This was well written, gripping, twisty and more!

This book was very good. I read it very quickly since I wanted to know who did it. The story starts off with a murder of a woman being buried alive. They realize that it’s connected to a cold case of two girls being taken 30-40 years ago. People were stunned that these girls could still be alive. The story grows through the perspective of the main cold case detective Van and her younger self Evangeline. Highly recommend this book.

This book was AMAZING! This is the first time I have read this author and I will certainly be looking for more asap. The Taken Ones was such a wild ride from page one and held my attention all the way through. I think it is a great book for people to read around Halloween as it gives off so many spooky vibes. Thank you for my arc copy.

1980 - Three young girls enter the woods, only one comes out.

Summer 2022 - Cold case detective Van Reed and forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck are assigned a case of a women found dead after being buried alive. She is wearing a necklace matching from one of the missing children.

Could this women be related to the taken ones case from 1980?

I absolutely loved this book! Expect an unputdownable, shocking police procedural, psychological thriller. I cannot wait for the sequel. The author did a wonderful job building tension while going between past and present timelines. I loved the characters Van and Harry working together and the added spooky superstition of the Bendy Man.

This is my first book by Jess Lourey but will definable not be my last. I’m on a mission to read her backlist now.

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and @netgalley for an advanced reading copy.

Bendy Man will forever live in my nightmares! Oh my gosh this book was incredible and I loved it, if your looking for a a book that’s perfect for spooky season this is it!
It’s the summer of 1980 in Leech Lake Minnesota and it’s incredibly hot, three young girls Rue and her younger sister Lily and also Amber a new friend to Rue, go into the woods to swim in the creek. When something terrible happens. Rue comes out with with no memory what happened and Lily and Amber have disappeared. Rue is discover walking barefoot with her feet burned from the pavement in complete shock and refuses to talk. The missing girls are called the Taken Ones.
Fast forward and it’s now 2022, the police are called to a horrific crime scene a homicide, where a woman was discovered to have been buried alive. The woman is found to be holding a necklace, and to their surprise the necklace is connected to the Taken Ones case. Cold Case detective Evangeline but she’s called “Van” is called and forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck are assigned to the case. Van has her own past that she’s dealing with and sometimes she is shown visions, she’s determined to uncover what happened that day in the woods and how this woman is connected to the missing girls, the more she investigates she keeps hearing about the urban legend Bendy Man how is he connected, is he even real? We follow Van and Harry as they investigate along with the killers POV. I truly couldn’t put this book down!