This book features the same detective as in the author's first book, All the Dark Places. I loved that book, so I enjoyed catching up with Detective Rita Myers. However, this new book also works perfectly as a standalone. Rita is leading the investigation of the death of a young woman found murdered at the edge of a wooded area. The crime scene is in the backyard of former ballerina, Esme Foster. Esme is one of the victim's high school friends who has just returned to Graybridge, Massachusetts after a career-ending injury. Esme had moved away years ago thinking she was in danger in her hometown and now fears she may be a target once again.

Rita and her team have many suspects to question, including Esme's brother Byron, which makes things complicated. There is more than one sketchy character in the book who is easy to picture as a potential killer. I enjoy the character of Rita and find her very relatable. I admire her intelligence and her determination to find the killer. She is an experienced detective who has a complicated personal life and I warmed to her right away.

I was sympathetic to Esme who has both current problems and past traumas to deal with, but she is a harder character to connect with. Part of that could be that we hear a lot about her past when she lived in New York with her now ex-boyfriend, but we don't see it. For this reason, I didn't feel I fully got to know her even though I liked her.

The book alternates between Rita and Esme's points-of-view, giving us a police procedural in Rita's chapters and a bit more of a thriller in Esme's. Together, seeing the case from both sides makes this an engaging, well-rounded crime fiction novel. I had a few suspects in mind, but wasn't able to anticipate the solution and was surprised when everything was revealed. I hope to see Rita Myers again in future books.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Kensington Books at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Esme, a former ballerina has recently broken up with her longtime boyfriend so returns unannounced back to her hometown of Graybridge. Upon her arrival at her childhood home, she discovers that her good friend, Kara has been murdered in or near Esme’s father’s backyard and her father is dying as a result of his heavy drinking. As Esme settles into her new life of helping her brother, Byron care for their father and working at the local bakery, Rita, a veteran detective works to solve Kara’s murder. Rita’s investigation begins to uncover sinister and illegal activities amongst the neighbors who live in the wooded neighborhood but struggles to find a motive for Kara’s murder.
Overall, I enjoyed this thriller and was as perplexed as the detectives. The book was entertaining and engaging. However, I did find it somewhat disjointed and “all over the place” as far as storyline. I believe the author was using multiple plot lines to add unexpected twists but it just seemed like too much. For instance (no spoilers), the sub plots of Mr. York enlisting young women to model for him and one of Esme believing a mysterious man is following her seemed to be unnecessary distractions . I definitely would have liked to see better development of Esme’s friendships because the ending seemed to “come out of nowhere”. Also, I really liked Rita’s character and wished that there had been more focus on her relationship with Joe.
#NetGalley #KensingtonBooks

Esme returns home after being away for years after following her dream to be a ballerina. Upon returning home, she finds out her friend from high school was found dead in her backyard. Detective Rita Myers is put on the case. The story toggles between the points of view of these two women.

I want to note that while this was not part of a series, it is the second book that has Rita Myers as a character. This isn't completely transparent in the synopsis of the book, but it explains why it reads more like series. There is a lot of background put into Rita Myers that I felt wasn't necessary and slowed down the pace of the book. I also wondered why we got both Esme and Rita's first-person perspectives on every other chapter. That was a little confusing at first. Despite all that, it can be read as a stand-alone without much confusion.

Overall, this was a decent detective novel with interesting characters and a lot of possible suspects, which made it engaging. While there were a lot of characters to keep track of, it made it more challenging to figure out who the murderer was. It's a little longer than it needed to be, and there was some "filler" information on the characters I didn't think was necessary. I would still recommend reading this, though!

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

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. This story is told through DPV, my favorite. Esme who is a ballerina and comes back home to take care of her sick father, and Rita a detective investigating a murder.

An entertaining atmospheric thriller that is easy to read. Although the personal lives of the main characters often receive more attention than the murder investigation. I would have preferred a better balance. I don't mind insight into the characters' lives; it makes the story more interesting. However, a bit more focus on the case would have been nice, especially since the twist at the end came out of nowhere for me.

I got this arc in exhange for an honest review.

I had a hard time getting into the book. The dual viewpoints threw me off at times and I found the pace to be a bit slow. The overall story is a good one but this wasn't my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publcation.

Esmé returns home after her career as a ballerina is cut short due to injury. Her best friend from high school is found dead in her backyard. It definitely wasn’t the homecoming she was expecting but things never go as expected..

This was a very fast paced and intriguing thriller! I really enjoyed reading from Esmé’s and Detective Rita’s POV. There was a bunch of suspects which made for an entertaining read. I definitely wasn’t expecting that ending! The only thing I didn’t enjoy about this book which is totally a me thing is the alcoholism and her father’s death. It hit very very close to home to me and I wasn’t prepared for it.

If you’re looking for a thriller to keep you up late at night guessing then I highly recommend picking this one up. Releases on December 26th!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kensington for the e-arc!

Esme Foster suffers a hip injury and leaves the ballet. She returns to Boston after 11 years to help care for her sick father and finds out her old friend Kara who resembles her has been killed in her back yard near the woods.
This was a creepy read that had me on the edge of my seat. Thanks NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC that will be released December 26, 2023!

Esme returns to her childhood home to find one of her friends has been murdered in the woods behind the house. She hasn't spoken to any of her childhood friends since she left 10 years ago to pursue her dream of being a professional ballerina. An injury ends her career, and sends her back home to her dying father and her brother that has been his primary caretaker for years. Detective Rita Myers starts asking questions that gets Esme reevaluating what she thought she knew about her family, her friends, and her childhood memories.

This book is told from dual points of view with Esme and Rita taking alternating chapters. There seems to be a lot of exposition and set up in this one that doesn't necessarily pertain to the story being told. It's possible that this is intended to be the first in a series, so the author is establishing the framework for that. The story itself is good, and the twist at the end will keep most readers guessing. However, readers who don't do well with expositional storytelling will probably not like this one much.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Books, for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book for review.

"What Waits in the Woods" masterfully establishes an atmospheric setting from the outset. The strategic use of time, particularly the foreboding darkness, enhances the mood of the narrative. As the title insinuates, something ominous lurks ahead.

The novel employs a dual point-of-view, providing a unique lens through which we perceive the unfolding story. On one hand, we have a dedicated detective, passionate about her work yet bordering on overworked. On the other, we have a former ballerina returning home to rebuild her life, only to be greeted by her father's impending death and the murder of her best friend. The stark contrast between these characters adds depth to the narrative. While their struggles evoke empathy, it's the plot that truly steers the story.

The narrative's pacing is facilitated by short chapters, though there are instances when the story's momentum wanes. Despite these occasional lulls, the reader is bound to experience the detective's frustration at hitting dead ends yet her unwavering resolve to keep going. The story progresses through an expert interchange of perspectives, gradually revealing clues to the mystery.

The novel is replete with suspenseful scenes that will set hearts racing. The revelations are meticulously delivered as the scenes unfold, keeping the reader on edge. The red herrings serve their purpose effectively, and the unveiling of the villain is a genuine surprise.

"What Waits in the Woods" delves into the labyrinth of secrets—those guarded within families and between friends—and explores the perils of jealousy and unrequited love. This novel is a compelling exploration of human relationships and resilience in the face of adversity.

Detective Rita Myers and Esme Foster alternately tell this story of the search for answers in death not only of Esme's childhood friend Kara but of her mother as well. Neither woman realized how many secrets there are in Greybridge, a town which felt much safer before things unwound, This is the second in the series but it was a standalone for me- and I didn't feel as though I missed anything. Esme's an interesting character, Rita is dynamic, and there are several possible villains, No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I mostly enjoyed this, but I wanted to punch Irene in the face and I felt esme was way too nice to her. The ending was kind of out of nowhere as well but all in all it was a good book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of Terri Parlato’s new thriller.
I was more than happy to jump back into the world of Detective Rita Myers as she investigates a murder in the backyard of Esme Foster. Once again, Parlato writes dimensional characters with a plot line that fills out at a great pace. I loved every twist and turn of this story and thought the ending was satisfying. Can’t wait to read a future story in the world of Graybridge, MA.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC to review.

Her ballet career sadly over due to a devastating hip injury, Esmé Foster is returning home to the suburbs of Boston after several years away. This also means returning to the life she thought she’d left behind forever. Considering her abrupt departure, she is apprehensive about how she’ll be received by both family and former friends.

To make matters worse, the first thing Esmé encounters upon her return is a crime scene on the front lawn of her father’s house. Even more bizarre is the murder victim is Esmé’s best friend from childhood, and she has a horrible suspicion she herself was the intended victim. Could this be related to her mother’s death several years earlier?

Told from the viewpoints of both Esmé and Detective Rita Myers, the reader gains insight into a wide cast of characters, including an eccentric designer hiding dark secrets and a neighbor seemingly prone to violent outbursts. It is not surprising everyone in town seems capable of being a suspect.

This is a slower-paced thriller with enough of an intriguing plot to keep the reader engaged, but not necessarily enough excitement to keep them up at night. One of the main reasons why the characters are a bit one-dimensional. Rita is probably the most well-rounded, but she’s mainly depicted as a workaholic. Esmé comes across as defeated by life and isn’t a strong match for Rita as a counterpart. Other characters are either undeveloped (like Esmé’s brother) or a confusing addition to the plot.

While this isn’t going to keep you on edge while reading, it makes for an entertaining story. Overall, it is an easy read for fans of gentler thrillers, this will make for a nice way to pass the time during the upcoming cold winter days.

This book was very fast-paced and engaging from the beginning! The writing was very readable and I was flying through the pages whenever I picked it up. This story is told from dual FMC POV and one of the POVs is the detective. Sometimes I like the use of the detective POV in books and sometimes I don’t. I liked it in this one. I didn’t love how the twist was executed and felt like it came out of nowhere but overall this was an enjoyable read and good if you’re looking for a quick, entertaining mystery/thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books and Terri Parlato for this ARC ebook. What Waits In The Woods will be published December 26, 2023.

“Sometimes the only thing you can do is leave” Here are reasons to read the Thriller book:

Retired Dancer - Esme is a retired dancer who leaves her life behind to move back home.
Friend Dead - but when she arrives, she finds her high school friend dead in the woods behind her house
Detective - Rita is a detective trying to follow the case, which seemingly has no leads
Childhood Connection - and what is the connection between the accident that killed Esme’s mom, and a mysterious man she sees following her?

As far as thrillers go, this one is sort of a slow burn. Mainly because you do jump between the 2 POVs and nothing really seems to connect. It takes awhile to really get into any kind of hints about what is happening, and there are a lot of red herrings. Overall the story is interesting and kept my attention but there wasn’t a lot that really made me remember after the fact.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC! What Waits in the Woods follows Esme Foster, a former ballerina who recently lost her place in the Syracuse company after an injury. Esme decides to start over, leaving New York and her partner behind and returning to her hometown, Graybridge, MA. Upon her arrival back in town, Esme's story converges with that of Detective Rita Myers, who is investigating the murder of Esme's former friend, Kara Cunnningham. Esme is reminded of a car accident years ago that took the life of her mother, and the memory of a man in the woods telling Esme he would kill her. Has her longtime nightmare returned to get Esme or are there more secrets to this small town tragedy. Filled with untrustworthy characters and intrigue, What Waits in the Woods by Terri Parlato makes for a thrilling winter tale.

Honestly the cover of this book is what drawn me in. Our main character, a retired ballerina, has recently moved home after a career ending injury. Once she gets there she finds that her childhood best friend was murdered in the woods behind her house. This gives her flashbacks to the car accident that took her mom away, and the man who threatened to kill her that night— which no one else believes her about.
While I enjoyed this story (it was a fast, not super complicated read) I didn’t like the main character. I felt like she was too whiney and I couldn’t vibe with her. That didn’t ruin it for me, though. And I didn’t see the ending coming, which doesn’t happen often.

I’m sorry, but this was so boring. I could hardly concentrate on the words, and the characters were worse. This is a case where the writing style just wasn’t for me, and beyond that was a boring “who done it”

What Waits In The Woods

By: Terri Parlato

3 Stars

When Esme comes home after her failed ballet career, she is not expecting to find her ex best friend dead in the backyard. This is a story of murder, fear, and crime. Esme and the other intriguing and colorful characters find themselves on a crazy ride to find a killer.

In terms of a thriller, this was just okay to me. It seemed like it had more of a "crime show" feel to me. It was written well and kept me stumped till the end. I thought I knew the culprit, and I never figured out. Finding that out was a big shock. Overall, the characters, storyline, and writing were all done well. I wish there was a bit more "thrill," but I was not disappointed.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis