Erin Young doesn't hold back in this one. Set in the height of the pandemic, in the height of violent protests (from the incel community, buckle up!), newly-minted FBI Agent Riley Fisher is in Des Moines trying to prevent a terrorist attack on a female senator while also tracking down a serial killer. Young does everything right, but serial killers/pandemic stories just aren't for me, so I'm giving it 4 stars and putting it down after getting halfway through.

Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

A hard story to read due to the extreme violence against women. However, it's a well-told story, and I do enjoy this author's writing. Her descriptions and imagery are stunning, taking you right into the story along with the characters. Main character Riley has a different job in a different city from book #1, and with that we also get new side characters, so although this is #2, you could read it as a standalone and not be lost. The middle dragged a bit for me but once it got back on track, there was no putting it down until the end. I wish more had developed in this one with Logan and Ethan, maybe we'll see that in #3. Looking forward to more from Erin Young.

This was everything I hope for in a thriller - consistently engaging, steady pace, strong character development, unpredictable plot. I especially loved the twists because they weren’t built up with all this huge drama; they were just allowed to be surprising enough in themselves.

It was also thought-provoking in a subtle way and managed to discuss social issues without being so on-the-nose. I could tell that the author really took her time crafting this novel and I applaud her mastery of writing techniques that seem to be getting increasingly rare nowadays as books feel more and more rushed. Absolutely recommending this to anyone who asks me for a gripping crime novel!

I’ve had The Fields on my bookshelf for months and didn’t realize this was a sequel when I started reading it, but now I can’t wait to go back and read that one to learn about Riley Fisher’s background!

I loved reading The Fields! So I was super excited seeing a new novel by Fields.

Original Sins by Erin Young is an extremely well written police procedural. The mystery is truly compelling and our characters are very interesting, strong and well developed. A twisted mystery filled with suspense and shocks in this amazing novel. I was anxious and on the edge of my seat for the majority of this novel. Every single page was gripping, atmospheric and suspenseful.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Flatiron Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Original Sins
By Erin Young
Pub Date: Feb. 13, 2024
#2 Riley Fisher series
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thriller
This is a dark suspense ,crime fiction thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend!
4 stars

This story is set during the height of COVID, and cover a lot of social issues that rose during that time while also tracking a serial killer that targeted women! WHEW! I will have to go back and read the first book in the series, as I didn't realize was series when I requested the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion,

I should have read The Fields prior to this one but didn’t realize it was a book 2. Slow burn but picks up and is entertaining.

I need to read The Fields first and then will come back to this novel. I really can't enjoy a book that has illusions of previous characters and plots. I have FOMO that way!!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the opportunity to read and review Original Sins by Erin Young.

Here's the set up: Riley Fisher is an FBI agent that has transferred back to her hometown of Des Moines. A harsh winter is beginning and setting the atmospheric scene for what is about to happen to the unsuspecting city. A serial attacked named the Sin Eater has started attacking women again. She is teamed up with with a FBI agent that doesn't want her around to start up the investigation of both the serial attacker and a threat against the governor. Will she be able to solve either case? You will need to read to find out.

Original Sins is book two in the Riley Fisher series by Erin Young. I did not read the first in the series, but it did not hinder me from thoroughly enjoying the book. There was enough back story throughout the book that helped me understand everything that was going on with the main characters. So, I think it could be read as a stand-alone if needed. I though the main character was well developed and was rooting for her to succeed till the end. This is a serial killer/attacker story with a lot of violence against women, so I would issue maybe a trigger warning here. There are a couple of continuing storylines from the first book, but it was easy to follow. I enjoyed the plot twist and thought it propelled the story in a little bit of a different direction that made the story even better. I also think the end of the story could definitely open up for a third book in the series. If you are interested in checking this one out it will be released on February 13, 2024.

I wish I loved this one more, but in general, a good "cold case becomes suddenly hot" read, with a solid twist. The multiple POVs were distracting, rather than enlightening, but Young is a good writer. A read centered on white nationalism and the rise of a certain kind of political capital, especially when that capital comes at the expense of women.

I was thrilled to return to Riley Fisher’s world. She’s become an FBI Agent, and moved to Des Moines. Jess Cook is Governor and has been receiving death threats. At the same time, a serial murderer and attacker has reawakened after 15 years and has begun assaulting women again. What’s the connection? Riley has to figure it out before more women get hurt. I couldn’t put this down! Less personal drama than the first book, and seemed to move quicker. 5 stars for me. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Riley Fisher is the protagonist who is starting over in her law enforcement career at age 37. As the oldest recruit in her graduating class at the FBI academy and newly assigned to Des Moines Iowa she finds her new boss and partner are less than welcoming.

The main plot revolves around a serial killer but also touches on domestic violence, mental health, addiction, and women’s rights.

I loved and connected to Riley’s character. Her life is messy, she has insecurities, and relationship struggles both personally and at work which makes her so relatable.

Original Sins is a sequel to The Fields but I was able to read it as a stand-alone due to the character-building and background detail provided in the first half of the book. The second half was fast-paced and I couldn't put it down until I finished. I love a good FBI, serial killer thriller with unexpected twists, and this one hit the mark for me. I will be reading the first book The Fields and look forward to more from author Erin Young.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Flatiron Books for allowing me to read this ARC in return for my voluntary and honest review.

I want to start by saying that the only reason I gave this book 4 starts instead of 3 is because the second half of the book had me turning pages like crazy. I couldn’t get enough of the book and finished the entire second half in just a few hours. With that being said the first half of the book was a lot of tedious plot building that just wasn’t interesting to me. It took me multiple sittings to get through because it would be multiple chapters of nothing interesting happening besides character building. Once you power through, like I said, it’s a super good read that keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you enjoy a good murder mystery / thriller you will like this one!

I enjoyed the premise of the novel - a rookie FBI agent on the tail of the return of the Sin Eater, notorious murderer who went uncaught in the nineties. I had trouble keeping my mind focused as it had many characters and connections to keep track of as the reader unravels the mystery of the Sin Eater and why he has returned. However, for a slow middle, the last third of the novel was so exciting as everything came together. Overall, it was an enjoyable crime detective novel.

4/5 stars 🌟 Original Sins is Erin Young’s second novel following Riley Fisher, who has now relocated to a different city in Iowa as a newly appointed FBI agent along the investigation of the resurfaced serial attacker the “Sin Eater”.

Original Sins can be read as a standalone, however, I still found myself having to reread parts of the authors first novel to jog my memory of characters and the plot as the author referenced it often. I love Riley Fisher as a strong MC and I really enjoyed The Fields, so I had good expectations going in. Unfortunately, I felt this story started out super strong but fizzled out chapter by chapter. It seemed there was a lot of different moving parts to this book that didn’t quite come together in the end for me. I really hope there is more in store for Riley Fisher in the future. I am definitely wanting more of her story!

All in all a good legal/politcal thriller and a good sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley, Flatiron books, and Erin Young for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review 🤍

- Pub Date: February 13, 2024 -

Riley Fisher becomes a FBI agent. A killer who has been hidden and quite for 30 years comes back. This book was so good. The ending was on a cliffhanger so I can’t wait to see another book in the series. Thank you so much for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for a honest review.

FBI Agent Riley Fisher is dealing with a stalker during one of the worst winters Des Moines, Iowa has ever seen. The Sin Eater, a masked man who brutally beats women, has started attacking again after being away for years. As Riley tries to set boundaries with her family, adjust to the politics of her new job, & decide who she can trust, all while hunting a violent criminal.

I love that the author chose to give us a geographical references within Des Moines, & other local places popped up throughout the story.The pace of the story kept me wanting to know what would happen next and the way that the hunt for the Sin Eater ended up being so much more involved than anyone originally would have predicted was genius. The character development we see in Riley is realistic and I enjoyed reading about a character like that.

I’m not sure if it was the book, or my mood at the time I read this. I wanted to like it but could not connect with the main character or storyline. I kept putting it aside and coming back to it but it was not my culpa tea. I certainly don’t want to put it down because I really think it may have been my mood. I did not read 5he first 8n this series and maybe it would have helped me in making a deeper connection to the character. So, I’m going to rate it a solid 3. A special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this uncorrected proof in exchange for my honest review. I may revisit this again at a later date or not…..

I tried my hardest to read this one but I just couldn’t do it. I realized it was a sequel which was fine since we got a back story. But i prefer when authors show you rather than tell you things. Sadly, this was a DNF for me

This book continues the story of Riley Fisher, a newly promoted FBI agent who works in Des Moines. Her new job coincides with the return of the Sin Eater, a serial killer who had been dormant for thirty years. She gets assigned to protect Iowa's new female governor from recent death threats. She soon realizes that the Sin Eater case and the threats to the governor are connected and races to figure out who is responsible. Riley is a layered character who is often torn between her job and her family but still manages to get the job done. Erin Young also does a good job of making the setting feel real with her descriptive writing. I've enjoyed both books in the series and would read another one. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.