This was one of the creepiest books I’ve read in a long time. It was fast paced and no holds barred horrifying.
The characters were likeable and realistic. This book was gritty and intense. A page turner to the max.
If you want to stay up way to late reading and then have nightmares this book is the one for you.
A great super scary rollercoaster of a read!

Featuring forensic pathologist Dr. Tessa McGowan and her husband from whom she is separated, Dakota Sharp, this book was a race to the finish from the first page. With macabre and gruesome killings and clues that just kept coming but would not come together in the minds of the investigators, this book was amazingly well written and intricately layered. Dealing with family relationships, finding a way to let go of the past as well as solving cold cases, this book had everything a mystery buff like me enjoys. I was not able to figure out the villain but trying was part of the fun of reading the story. The “dollmaker” has a goal in mind and this is one villain who does not plan to be thwarted by state police, FBI agents or forensics. He wants to capture women and make them into his playthings, fashioning them into his dolls, with the faces that he creates. Lots of details about his work, but nothing too stomach-turning or gory. The pacing was perfect, the characters were relatable and the entire experience of diving into this book was a thrilling adventure into the mind of a demented serial killer.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Keep thinking I am losing my mind by seeing her titles pop up again. Mary Burton has become an auto buy, turn on the audiobook and roll through all of them kind of author. Great suspense, good timing, dialog and she always has a little bit of steam. Well done, enjoyed this one!

Honestly, the title already gave me an idea of what it is going to be about. But the flow of the story is gripping, and the characters are interesting, it still had me hooked. I think this is part of a series, but the story is a stand-alone which is good. It makes me what to check out the other books too.

Agent Dakota Sharp has just been given a new case. A young local boy has been killed but something doesn’t add up as Terrance has everything going for him. Dakota has another problem his wife Dr Tessa McGowan is back in town and they need to move on from their marriage. Dakota knows that he can’t give her what she needs but Tessa isn’t willing to give up on them. A woman’s body has been found and she has been tattooed to look like a living doll and Dakota knows that he has another sick individual on his hands but the past is all about to become intertwined with Kara. Will they be able to find the killer before his completes his mission?
A great read. Dakota is a likeable guy he is just wired differently to most as he takes everything to heart. Tessa is a stubborn woman that loves her man even when he tries to push her away.
Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the copy. This is my voluntary review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mary Burton, and Kensington Books, for an ARC copy of The "Dollmaker".

"The Dollmaker" by Mary Burton is a gripping and chilling thriller that delves into the twisted world of a serial killer with a penchant for turning his victims into horrifying life-sized dolls.

The characters in "The Dollmaker" are well-developed and complex. Tessa and Dakota Sharp, her estranged husband and an experienced agent, share a turbulent history that adds depth to the narrative. Their reconnection amidst the harrowing case brings emotional complexity to the story, and their evolving relationship is a central element of the novel.

The tension in the book is palpable, as the hunt for the Dollmaker intensifies. The author expertly weaves in clues and red herrings, keeping readers guessing about the killer's identity and motive. The pacing is excellent, and the plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns.

Mary Burton delivers a suspenseful and chilling read that will keep fans of crime and psychological thrillers enthralled from beginning to end. I highly recommend adding it to your list of must-reads. I'm eagerly anticipating Mary Burton's next book.

This is a really good book. Lots of suspense. There’s also a second chance romance. I really liked Tessa and Dakota. They’re opposites but are perfect for each other. The writing is incredible l The book flows smoothly. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Dr. Tessa McGowan is a forensic pathologist. She is appalled when she starts getting victims that are hairless and appearing to resemble dolls on her autopsy table. The story had great twists and turns and the ending is surprising! I haven't read anything else by this author, but this was a good book. The story was quite twisted and definitely a must read for thriller fans.

State Police Agent Sharp is investigating the stabbing death of a teenage boy and a seemingly separate case of a woman whose body was found having been made up like a doll. Working alongside his estranged wife/pathologist, he realizes both cases are connected and are possibly connected to his own sister's death years earlier. 4 stars.

I'm a huge Mary Burton fan and read all of her books and this one does not disappoint! Full of suspense and action, you can't help but to fall in love with the characters. Leaves you guessing til the end!

This was a highly enjoyable suspense novel. It did have a slight romantic tilt, Dr. McGowan and the lead detective, Dakota Sharp, are married but currently separated. Dr. McGowan is hoping to change things and get back together with her husband. However, the book is more about the mystery surrounding a cold case and a current series of bizarre murders rather than the romance. While I did figure out who the culprit was before the detective, the story held my interest to the end, and I definitely recommend it. Even though the book is listed as the second in the Forgotten Files series, it can definitely be read as a standalone novel. Although be warned this book was originally published in 2015.

Mary Burton equals great romantic suspense! I received an edition of this book from NetGalley and the opinions expressed are my own.

I had to go back and read book one because I didn’t realize this was a trilogy!!! But it was AMAZING. I did not expect that ending, keeping spoiler free! Absolute page turner!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Dollmaker by Mary Burton.
The Dollmaker, which is the second book of The Forgotten Files Series by Mary Burton, can be read as part of the series or as a stand alone book because I personally did not feel that it has any spoilers or had anything that really dealt with the first book in series except mentioning it briefly a few times in passing as a case they has solved before. I loved this book from the when I started reading the first chapter until I closed the book when I finished it.
Dakota Sharp a Virginia State Police Detective has just caught a new case of a woman who was found dead who was dressed like a doll and her face was tattooed to look like a dolls. To make things interesting his estranged wife, Tessa, a forensic pathologist, has returned from working overseas and has taken a job at the medical officers office and she has made it clear she wants to give their marriage another try. But, things did not work the first time because Dakota shut Tessa out because he was dealing with the guilt of his sisters death that took place when he was in the marines and she disappeared and when she was found it was believed she OD on drugs.
Thing take a turn when the killer known as The Dollmaker is linked to Tessa and Dakota's sister and their group of friends from college and information from a PI who at one time was the police officer investigating Dakota's sister's death tells him that his stepfather had hired him to look into her death and he is no longer sure if her death was an OD or a homicide and that Dakota should look into. By the time Dakota and Tessa figure out what is really going on it just might be too late for Tessa and for them to get things right between them.
The idea of a killer who turns his victims into dolls is creepy to begin with but adding the fact that he is tattooing the makeup on their faces just adds another level of freak to this guy. I loved the fact that Burton kept me guessing who the killer was until almost the end of the book and her twist and turns were exceptional in this book. Some of her best.
I am giving The Dollmaker five out of five stars.

For Dr. Tess McGowan, returning to Richmond, Virginia was fraught with memories and a man who turns her inside out. But in her job as a forensic pathologist, she finds her latest case file to be the most gruesome. Mutilated bodies are being found telling a macabre tale of a sadistic killer who is kidnapping women and turning them into life-like dolls. It’s her job to aid the leading agent on the case, Dakota Sharp, except working together with her estranged husband will cause them both to face their pasts.

Twelve years before, Dakota Sharp’s world was destroyed in a tragedy that caused him to focus on hunting down killers and neglecting his marriage to Tess. When he finds out that Tess is back in town and working in the medical examiner’s office, Dakota is determined to be professional even as he is drawn to this determined woman. But this killer is smart, determined and as they get closer to the deranged psychopath, the killer sets his sights on Tess. Can Dakota and Tess figure out the clues and solve the case before Tess becomes the next victim of THE DOLL MAKER?

Wow, Mary Burton delivers a fast paced story that will chill you to the core even as you flip the pages to see what happens next. Ms. Burton delivers a story that is at times fraught with twists and turns that the reader doesn’t see coming and a secondary story of two people reconnecting and trying to work out their differences. This book is like a puzzle the reader has to figure out. It has a devious and diabolical killer that just chills you to the soul, a mystery that pulls you in and characters that you can’t help but enjoy. The story moves quickly, keeps the reader glued to the pages and entertained till the very end.

Meet Tess and Dakota. Two headstrong people who are made a mess of their marriage but finally figure out they are meant for one another. I got to admit when I first met Dakota Sharp, he was a bit rough around the edges for my taste, quite focused to point of ignoring everything and everyone around him. That is until Tess comes back into his life. Then my lord, the sparks flew between them. Tess needed that time away from Dakota to see what she needed and wanted while doing work over seas. These two characters are quite entertaining, enjoyable and made me root for them to succeed as a couple even as I tried to figure out the clues left by the killer alongside them. They had substance and were written so life-like I half expected them to pop up in my living room at times while reading THE DOLL MAKER. The killer is just creepy and the author does a fine job in getting into the mind of them to show the reader just how diabolical they can be. The secondary characters are just as well written as our main players and keep the story moving along nicely.

THE DOLL MAKER is a wonderful story that will thrill and chill you this winter’s night as it keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you enjoy a romantic suspense story that is full of twists and turns, a killer that will give you nightmares and a mystery to solve then you will enjoy Ms. Burton’s latest installment in the Forgotten Files series. You don’t have to read book one, The Shark, in order to read this installment. The books stand alone and I know I am eager to see where the third book, The Hangman, goes next.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

3.5 stars

It’s a pretty good mystery, love the setting and definitely liked this book.

Thank you to Mary Burton, NetGalley and Kensington – Zebra for the arc of this book.

Reading this novel feels like watching an episode of Criminal Minds or CSI. In fact, it feels similar to one of the episodes I've watched from either of these TV shows (couldn't remember which). From the discovery of the bodies to the procedural details of the investigation to getting glimpses of how the killer targets and tortures victims... it was like seeing my favorite TV show getting translated to a book.

In this novel, police authorities are haunting for the unsub who kidnaps beautiful women, alters their faces to look like porcelain dolls, then kills them. Detective Dakota Sharp, who still carries the burden of his half sister's unsolved case 12 years ago, leads the investigation and finds himself working alongside his estranged wife, forensic pathologist Tessa McGowan.

I love how tight the development of the case unfolds in this novel. There are no loose threads in terms of the procedural details. I also love how the romantic subplot gives character depth to Sharp and Tessa, and their love story feels like a breath of fresh air from all this monstrosity happening in their town.

However, I find the investigation "too flawless" for my taste. Having watched a lot of crime shows, it feels like clues and circumstances are conveniently thrown in front of the detectives. Sharp is one hell of a detective, like he doesn't commit mistakes and his instincts are always right. I wouldn't mind a wild goose chase in solving this case and the climax is anticlimactic, but that's just me wanting more action. I also find the novel predictable, but that's also me having watched too much true crime.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading more Mary Burton books.

Loved this one!

I love how this author keeps me guessing! Great story with the perfect amount of detail.

This was a good story which kept me turning the pages throughout the night. Great mystery, writing and plotting will recommend to all my friends who love this genre.

This was my first book by Mary Burton and I loved it. It was creepy and had many elements I love to see in a book. It was hard to put down and would be the perfect book to read in October.

Many thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for my gifted copy.