A good mystery.The author has gone into a lot of detail with the procedures and the settings involved in the plot. Well written and thought of. The book held the readers' attention till the end.

"Their Angel’s Cry" by Shannon Hollinger is an exhilarating and masterfully crafted addition to the Chief Maggie Riley series, delivering a riveting blend of suspense, character depth, and relentless pacing. Hollinger’s sophomore effort in the series cements her as a formidable voice in the crime thriller genre.

Chief Maggie Riley is back, navigating a labyrinth of intrigue and danger that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Hollinger’s ability to develop Riley’s character with nuanced layers of strength, vulnerability, and resilience makes her a compelling protagonist whose journey is as emotionally engaging as it is thrilling. The complexity of Maggie's character is one of the novel’s strongest points, making her both relatable and inspiring.

The plot is meticulously woven, with unexpected twists and turns that maintain suspense throughout. Hollinger’s prose is sharp and evocative, painting vivid scenes that draw readers into the gritty and often dark world that Riley must traverse. The pacing is expertly handled, ensuring that the tension never wanes while allowing enough space for character development and deeper thematic exploration.

One of the standout aspects of "Their Angel’s Cry" is its supporting cast. Hollinger skillfully crafts multi-dimensional characters whose interactions with Riley add depth to the narrative. The dialogue is authentic, and the relationships are portrayed with a realism that enhances the story’s emotional impact.

While the book is nearly flawless, a few minor plot points could have been explored further, which might have added even more richness to the narrative. However, these are small critiques in an otherwise outstanding novel.

Overall, "Their Angel’s Cry" is a gripping, emotionally resonant thriller that will satisfy both new readers and fans of the Chief Maggie Riley series. Shannon Hollinger has delivered a story that is as intellectually stimulating as it is thrilling, earning it a well-deserved 4.5 stars. This is a must-read for anyone who loves a well-crafted crime thriller with a strong, memorable protagonist.

Thier Angel's Cry is yet another fabulous book from the Coyote Cove/Maggie Riley series. I loved every part, every character of the book because yes- dogs! Yes the book is heart pounding for the various intricately narrated scenarios but for me additionally because I was really rooting for that pup more than anyone else! With every book Maggie's and Steve's past is teased & in this book we get the chance to catch a glimpse of Steve's side of the family for a bit. I loved how the book made way for a couple of characters that I only hope will continue to make an appearance in future books. There's something quite captivating about books set in small, remote towns that give it extra "creepers jeepers" and this series captures that nuance perfectly. I can't wait to see what riveting adventures the next book holds!

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture & Shannon Hollinger for the arc!

What a exciting police procedural it gets the adrenaline pumping. The atmosphere is tight and I felt like I was in the snow on the mountain with Maggie.

Write a very brief, 4 star review for -Their Angel's Cry (Chief Maggie Riley Book 2)

by Shannon Hollinger

Comment on the interesting characters and their dynamic together

Synopsis -

There’s a ferocious storm heading toward the isolated town of Coyote Cove when Chief Maggie Riley gets the call every cop dreads. Three bodies have been found on Rattlesnake Mountain, half a day’s hike from civilization. And when Maggie finally reaches the site, exhausted and freezing, she discovers something even more terrifying—a tiny baby girl, kept alive only by the warmth of a small dog who refuses to leave her side.
As Maggie races the baby to safety, she wonders, why on earth the family risked hiking the mountain in this weather? Who were they and who could possibly have killed them?
A former Detective, Maggie may be an experienced investigator, but she’s still an unwelcome newcomer. Battling town prejudice, her fears for the orphaned baby, and the increasingly dangerous weather, Maggie soon realizes the case is far more complicated than she could have imagined. The family is not who they seemed at all.
With Coyote Cove cut off by the storm, Maggie knows that wherever the killer is, they won’t be able to leave. Stuck in town with a murderer on the loose, Maggie must race to find them before anyone else gets hurt. But she hasn’t counted on the killer taking matters into their own hands, and going after Maggie first…

Thanks to Ms Hollinger, the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I started to get that book readers feeling from the very first page and it stayed with me for the entire book.
Finding a family dead in the snow with a baby and a dog the only survivors is just the start of a great story. It is Chief Maggie’s job to apprehend the perpetrators and there are several persons of interest on her list who seem suspicious.
This is the first Maggie Riley book I have read and I loved the setting, the plot and the pace set by the writer. It all made a can’t put this down read and one I thoroughly enjoyed! Can’t wait for the next one.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this - I enjoyed the first one - and I love a police series - but it was just too busy! I kept having to go back to check who was narrating which chapter!
I got so lost I really struggled to keep engaged at times! Maybe it is just a genre that is flooded with outstanding authors, but it didn’t cut the mustard for me!
Shame - but I am sure people with more of a brain for detail will love it.

Their Angel's Cry (Chief Maggie Riley Book 2) by Shannon Hollinger
Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers
Published: August 2, 2023

Their Angel's Cry is the second book in the Chief Maggie Riley series by Shannon Hollinger. This book can be enjoyed as a standalone mystery or as part of the series.

This book was filled with so many twists and turns, and when you think everything is wrapped up, it keeps going! This is a fast read and was so good!!! Intense does not even begin to describe this! Wow!!!

I absolutely loved the characters! Chief Maggie Riley is fascinating! She's an accomplished woman, who has made a name for herself, but she also has some dark secrets. I can't wait to get to know her more in the future books.

If you are looking for a book that that you won't be able to put down, this is it! I know I'll be coming back to this series for more!

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

This is number 2 in the series. This author is fantastic. I loved everything about it. The setting , characters and the ending.

This is book two of the Chief Maggie Riley series and it was a great follow up to The Girl Who Lied.
I enjoy Chief Maggie and how she polices the small town of Coyote Cove. This particular story was intriguing as it was so bizarre, a handful of bodies found on top of a local mountain top and no indication of why they were there and how they died.
I like how the author also weaves in the story about Maggie's personal life and how she has secrets with her boyfriend, there is an air of mystery in some ways about their relationship and so there is a lingering question regarding her private life that continues throughout all the stories.
Another great mystery.

Maggie is back in another brilliant instalment. I have been instantly hooked and devoured this in just one sitting.

This is a book with a perfect setting and plenty of twists. I’ve loved the unravelling of secrets and the twists included.

This is another tense and suspense filled read that I have devoured.

I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for us.

I highly recommend this series.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I loved this book it is such a good series . I love the main character and her toughness and d even the often unlikeable locals . The town also seems like another character. It just a good police procedural.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher

Their Angel’s Cry by Shannon Hollinger is the second book in the excellent Chief Maggie Riley series and this book was another excellent read. Just like the last book I was hooked from the beginning till the very end

There’s another ferocious storm heading toward the isolated town of Coyote Cove when Chief Maggie Riley gets the call every cop dreads. "Three bodies have been found on Rattlesnake Mountain" and this is half a day’s hike from civilisation. When Maggie finally reaches the site, she is exhausted and freezing, she soon discovers something even more terrifying, a tiny baby girl, she is kept alive only by the warmth of a small dog who refuses to leave her side.
Time is running out and needs to get the baby to safety and warmth.
But, she is wondering why a family has risked hiking this mountain in this awful weather !

Who were they?

Who could possibly have killed them?

and Why?

With Coyote Cove cut off by the storm, Maggie knows that wherever the killer is, they won’t be able to leave. They are stuck in the town with a murderer on the loose, Maggie has to race against time to find them before anyone else gets hurt or they leave the town.

WoW another excellent book with brilliant twists and turns throughout.
I highly recommend you read the first book first to learn more about Chief Maggie Riley background.

Big Thank you to Netgalley, the author Shannon Hollinger and Bookouture for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I love the first book in a series as much as I love The Girl Who Lied, I am skeptical about the second book in the series. I shouldn't have doubted Shannon Hollinger. I could not put this book down. It was absolutely incredible.

I'm sure we've all had those instances in our lives where we've met someone for the first time and, somehow and for whatever reason, formed a first impression. Only to realise later that that first impression was completely wrong.

A prime example for me was the owner of a tourist attraction at which I once had a summer job. When I first met her, she scared me a little bit. She looked to be quite severe-looking in appearance, which in hindsight reminded me of a school teacher I once had, and whilst I can't actually recall ever being reprimanded by her, she had a way of giving this disapproving look that made me feel about six inches tall. However, as time went on I came to realise that what I had first perceived as disapproval was actually a dry sense of humour, and by the time it came for me to leave the job I was in no doubt that she was one of the nicest people I knew.

This brings me to Shannon Hollinger's main character, Police Chief Maggie Riley. At the end of the first book in which she features, The Girl Who Lied, I was left feeling unsure whether I liked her or not, and as I said in my review at the time, this would have been fine in a stand-alone psychological thriller. But if the book is the first in a series, the main character does need to me someone I like, or at least someone that I can relate to in some way.

Good news: after finishing the second book in the series, Their Angel's Cry, I'm sure now. I like her very much.

I think the issue is that the impression given in the first book is that her character is multi-layered and complex, and that's correct. Here, though, the key points are brought to light. Her much younger brother disappeared five years ago and has never been found, and she sees both the disappearance and the subsequent failure to find him as her responsibility. This means that in any police case in which she's involved, she's driven by the overwhelming need to find the truth and provide the victims' families with the answers, the certainty, the closure that they need. And this is easily enough for me to stop wondering about her, and to start liking and admiring her.

It also helps that the storyline in Their Angel's Cry is fantastic. The bodies of three people have been found on a mountain, half a day's hike from the nearest place to park a car. And with a heavy snowstorm forecast, the investigation itself is a race against time. But when Maggie arrives at the scene, exhausted and cold, she discovers a tiny baby, wrapped only in a thin blanket and fiercely guarded by a dog. Who are they? And what on earth happened?

The multiple narratives, all told in the first person, work beautifully. Maggie's chapters tell us about the police case, and also portray the mixture of excitement at working a new crime investigation of the kind she thought she'd left behind, and frustration as the case becomes increasingly perplexing. Through Maggie's partner, Steve, we see a bit more of the psychological element as his growing relationship with Maggie and also his uneasy relationship with his mother are explored. Then there are some more chapters narrated by unknown characters, which give us that extra bit of intrigue. Partly because it means that the reader knows something Maggie doesn't, and partly because ... if I explain, it will inevitably lead to a spoiler. You'll just have to read the chapters to find out.

Don't think though that because Their Angel's Cry is in part a psychological study, this means it's slow. The pace is frantic, and as Maggie gets closer to the truth and the weather worsens, the book continues to get more and more tense. Is it a killer, or a blizzard that will put her life in the greatest danger?

I have just a couple of critical comments. The first is that the ending of the book requires some suspension of disbelief. The solution that's offered, whilst perhaps not impossible, does seem unlikely and the conclusion involves the storm becoming so bad that crossing the road from one side to the other is fraught with danger. And yet someone else manages to drive to, and enter a house seemingly without difficulty.

My second niggle concerns the character of Steve. For the second time in as many books, we are told that he has a past and that he is scared of Maggie finding out about it. Doubtlessly, we are meant to read this and be intrigued enough to read the next book to find out more. But - and admittedly, my patience is not my strongest virtue - I'm already starting to find this annoying. In my humble opinion, Shannon would do far better to tell us all about Steve's past so that we can share, or at least sympathise with his fear of Maggie discovering the truth.

Make no mistake, though. Neither of these points stopped me from really, really enjoying this book. And the best news of all is that I haven't got long to wait until the next one. I'm on the blog tour for the third book in the series, The Shadow Girl, and I can't wait to get started.

My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the digital ARC of Their Angel's Cry. I will post my review on Goodreads, Amazon, my blog and my social media pages.

Their Angel's Cry, book two in the Chief Maggie Riley series, picks up from where book one ended. The majority of the residents of Coyote Cove hates her, but Maggie doesn't allow the hatred to deter her from carrying out her duties. It didn't help that one of their own died as a result of her previous case. They blamed her despite it not being her fault. Luckily, this is the case, as she faces the task of unravelling a mind-boggling situation. Her discovery of three corpses in the mountains, where the cause of death, was a mystery within itself. However, what was even more shocking was the baby and dog she discovered near the crime scene.
1. Why were the victims on the mountain?
2. How did the baby survive?

Their Angel's Cry was a brilliant addition to the series. In this instalment, Maggie's detective skills played a prominent role. She gained a wonderful support system throughout the investigation, one of which came from an unexpected source. The mystery in this instalment was quite twisty, and it left me guessing from start to finish. This time around, figuring out the who, why and how proved a challenge. This featured many suspects, who all appeared to have motive. Funny enough, it was the one person whom I did not suspect that turned out to be the villain. Talk about a plot twist.

If you love police procedurals, I strongly encourage you to pick up this series. It has everything that lovers of this genre would love. A well written mystery, a strong female and great supporting cast.

Another great read! I am loving Chief Maggie Riley and Coyote Cove. I was hooked right away. I wanted to know how the people were killed and who did it and there were so many characters and possibilities I didn't know how everything connected and who it could be. It turned out to be nothing like I thought it was going to be. It all wrapped up and made sense and ended not at all like I expected. The paths of characters went in directions I didn't see coming. I can't wait to jump into the next book in the series and find out what crazy story is in store for Chief Riley and Coyote Cove!

Wow, I loved this book. Maggie Riley is everything that you could want from a heroine, strong, and taking no sh*t from nobody, despite being an unwelcome Chief in her town.
The story is absorbing, I literally picked this up and lost myself in it, and am now desperately waiting for the next instalment!

"Their Angel’s Cry" by Shannon Hollinger continues Chief Maggie Riley's gripping journey in Coyote Cove. When three bodies are discovered on a mountain during a storm, Maggie faces a chilling case. Amidst the chaos, a baby and a dog are found alive, adding to the mystery. The narrative weaves multiple perspectives, revealing secrets and building suspense. Maggie's complex character and the evolving relationship with her fiancé, Steve, hold the reader's interest. With its intriguing twists and layers, this installment is a must-read for fans of the series.

Their Angel’s Cry by Shannon Hollinger
Chief Maggie Riley #2

Gripping, dark, and gritty ~ compelled to continue reading into the wee hours of the morning!

What I liked:
* * Chief Maggie Riley: brilliant, capable, skilled detective, listens to her gut instincts, moved to Coyote Cove, Maine after a personal loss, engaged to Steve, upholds the law, working solo with Sue as her assistant after losing her lieutenant in the previous book, is pushed physically and mentally in this book, have a feeling she has an agenda related to the secrets she is keeping that will play out in this series
* Steve Winters: financial wiz who lost his fire and moved to the country, loves his rather difficult if loving mother, understands and loves Maggie, has secrets that will be exposed in time-I think, there for those he loves
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* Dr. Erika Ricky: medical examiner, cat owner, steps out of her comfort zone in this book and grows a lot, someone I hope to see more of
* Sue: Maggie’s assistant, a child guardian and qualified to step in when children are at risk, capable, caring, good friend
* The various characters that might be the killer of the three people found on the mountain – and finding out which one actually did the deed ~ also enjoyed finding out what the others were really up to
* Laurel: protective canine that heroically saved a baby
* Looking forward to what will happen in book three

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* The evilness of some of the amoral criminals in this story and the harm they did to more than one person

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars