This is a local-ish to me author and it's my first book by her, but definitely want more. This takes place in Hill Country, small town Texas. A well known, influential woman is found dead and three other women do not think it's an accident and decide to investigate.

This book starts with a fire and then flashes back to when Beverly Hoffman is found dead by the river. Robin, Nichole and Jenny join forces when they realize this will likely be ruled and accident and they want the truth! Through their investigation they discover many secrets and lies.

Beverly's husband is part business man part small town evangelist who clearly wants to rule the town. The changes he has made will make you uncomfortable, as will the people who blindly follow him. It felt very cultlike.

I was engrossed in the investigation and could not put this one down!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Mira for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Watch it Burn by Kristen Bird is a slow burn, no pun intended, thriller. When Nichole finds Beverly Hoffman face down in the river on her early morning run, nothing could prepare her for the things she would discover. The novelist did a great job of describing the characters to the point that I felt I knew them. I found George’s character as well as the way Genetive, his company, were described to be very ominous which led to the intensity of the story. Though I had a hard time following the secondary plot of Beverly’s observations a bit confusing at first, it lent, overall, a more eerie and disturbing dimension to the storyline. Overall, I would recommend this novel to lovers of suspense novels.

Small Town Southern Mystery Reminiscent of Malibu Rising. As I begin to think about this book and my experience with it, Malibu Rising keeps coming to mind - which, given that *that* book was a bestseller, tends to be a favorable comparison for this book - or so Ms. Bird likely hopes. Up front, this book does have several different POVs, which is clearly something some readers don't enjoy. So if you're one of those, know this book probably isn't for you. That noted, Ms. Bird actually uses those POVs quite effectively, with the grandma character very much feeling like an old school small town Southern grandma, particularly of the "knows everybody and their business" variety. On some other aspects, at times the tale gets perhaps a bit *too* blatant in its commentary, seemingly coming millimeters from using the actual names (NXVIM, Allison Mack, etc) it is referring to. At other points, it is perhaps a touch too *obtuse*, at times using a few dozen words when a single word or short phrase would have worked just as well.

But ultimately this was a fun book that managed to keep the pacing and mystery solid enough to be entertaining without being so serious and deep as to be dragging. The surprises were done well and the villains were sufficiently creepy, and the humor was just enough to keep everything refreshing. Very much recommended

There are many elements I liked about this book which is why I read it to the very end. The title, the three female friends who come together to solve a mystery, the background of the three women, the voice of the deceased as unreliable narrator. a cult like small Texas town .A lot of potential. But the ending tried too hard and came up short. Predictable, yes but satisfying, no. Added characters and an ethnic angle that could have been explored or completely deleted made the ending more confusing. The characters were well done, they just didn't all fit into this story.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Bless my Texas heart because this one has ALL THE THINGS.
• not one BUT TWO mysterious deaths 😱
• cult vibes aplenty 👀
• wellness retreat gone wrong ‼️
• best friends teaming up 👯‍♀️
• shamelessly nosy journalist digging around 📝
• small Texas town culture 🤠
• a narrator from the grave 🪦 (this might be my new fave thriller trope)

Kristen Bird has been one of my recent favorite discoveries. I love the way that she creates her characters and plot!

“Watch it Burn” tells the story of the head of the family trying to “take over the world” essentially.

This is a great choice if you love to read books that keep you guessing. The plot unfolds as you see the perspectives of several characters including one that recently passed.

You’ll love getting to know each character and the small town!

This is brilliant. I was hooked immediately. I really want to listen to this one as an audiobook. I absolutely love the characters. They were all so well developed. I love the friendship angle.
All around an interesting novel.

Kept seeing this book all over my bookstagram feed so of course had to read!

“Watch it burn” is set in a conservative town of Texas, and focuses on the circumstances surrounding a mysterious death. There are references to small town politics and culty vibes, and focuses on a group of strong minded women who band together to go against the evil twisted man who has their town in a death grip.

I enjoyed the multiple POV, included that of the deceased and getting to see things from their perspective.

There is lots of suspense and twists, although some of the dilemmas are applicable to modern day life and are real issues the reader can relate to, with the added benefit of the fictional aspects.

Thank you to Kristen Bird, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the EARC

Publish date: available now

I love a good small town mystery and books centered around cults, so I was so excited to dive into this story. This is a slow-burn mystery where you get to see the story unfold through multiple POVs, and the circumstances surrounding a mysterious death. I really enjoyed the inclusion of the POV of the deceased. This is not something you get to see often, and it added to the intrigue and background of the story. This one kept me guessing until the very end. I wanted to keep reading to find out how everything tied together at the end. This was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it.

Read of you enjoy:
✔️Small town mystery
✔️Multiple POVs
✔️Books about cults
✔️Conservative Texas setting

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley, and Kristen Bird for the ARC.

I love that this story centers around strong female characters fighting against this charismatic man who has a chokehold on their small town. This book kept my interest from beginning to end! I love that the characters are complex with real life problems that make them very relatable. The novel addresses issues that we are facing today and the danger of cultish practices. I was able to read this book through NetGalley, thanks NetGalley! This is a must read thriller.

Watch It Burn by Kristen Bird is a mile a minute kind of psychological thriller. Bird writes with great suspense and the twists keep the plot fresh and mysterious from cover to cover. I loved how the chapters alternated points of view by characters, including giving a voice to the victim.

Dealing heavily in cult-like behavior and brain washing, Kristen Bird was able to make the plot believable and just realistic enough for the reader to honestly wonder what the heck was going on in this small town.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mira Publishing for the chance to read this new novel by Bird in exchange for an honest opinion.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA for the ARC copy of this culty read!! This one is out now!!

While I did enjoy the opening of this book, it somewhat lost my attention too soon and didn't pick it back up quick enough for me to truly enjoy this read. It was decent, and had a fun cult like vibe to it for those that really like that. I thought that the plot was a little wishy washy at times, and then we just kind of had an ending that made everything fit together and be cleaned up quickly.

This one wasn't a favorite read of mine, but I would still give Bird a shot for some of her other reads and any future books!

In a town called Edenberg, the narrative begins with downtown on fire before rewinding to the discovery of 65-year-old Beverly Hoffman's body in the Guadalupe River a week earlier. Beverly's niece, Robin, an elementary school teacher, teams up with Nichole Miller and her close friend, reporter Jenny Martin, convinced that Beverly's demise wasn't accidental and determined to uncover the truth.

This book reminds me of those true crime cases that are either in small towns or not as sensationalized as others, where the more you dig the more comes up and it becomes mind blowing of how much comes up. I’ve read enough investigation type books and this one gripped me from the start, pushing me to unravel the mystery and understand its deeper implications, even during the uneasy moments. It truly prompted me to scrutinize the influence of cults and question their sway over individuals and communities.

As for the cover, I think it’s so pretty and I will be buying a copy for my shelf!

Kristen Bird delivered another great thriller with Watch it Burn. I did not know how this story was going to unfold, and was delighted by the surprises. The added cult-like element made the book more interesting in my opinion. There were a couple twists that were so surprising and timed perfectly. I thought the book kept a good pace and was well written, I really enjoyed the ending, it felt full circle and was satisfying to see it all play out. Kristen Bird writes a compelling thriller and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of "Watch it Burn" by Kristen Bird.

"Watch It Burn" by Kristen Bird is a gripping thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Bird skillfully weaves together multiple storylines, creating a complex narrative that unfolds at a relentless pace. The tension is palpable from the very first page, and the twists and turns will leave you guessing until the end.

One of the strengths of "Watch It Burn" lies in Bird's ability to create vivid and realistic characters. Each character is fleshed out with their own motivations and flaws, making them feel like real people grappling with extraordinary circumstances. Additionally, Bird tackles important themes such as morality and justice, adding depth to the story.

However, while "Watch It Burn" is undeniably thrilling, it can feel somewhat formulaic at times. The plot follows familiar tropes of the genre, and some of the twists may be predictable for seasoned thriller readers. Despite this, Bird's strong writing and compelling characters make "Watch It Burn" a worthwhile read for fans of suspenseful fiction.

I loved the multiple POVs in this one! That and the fabulous cast of characters kept me guessing and intrigued all the way through this must read.

Small town, cult-ish vibes, a mysterious death? Count me in! Watch It Burn was a slow burn and when it caught fire, it was hot! I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and the backstory of Genetive before I was able to get the answers I wanted. I did figure out the connection Nicole’s sister had to the Hoffmans pretty quickly but I still really enjoyed the story. Especially that ending!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Small Town Southern Mystery Reminiscent of Malibu Rising. As I begin to think about this book and my experience with it, Malibu Rising keeps coming to mind - which, given that *that* book was a bestseller, tends to be a favorable comparison for this book - or so Ms. Bird likely hopes. Up front, this book does have several different POVs, which is clearly something some readers don't enjoy. So if you're one of those, know this book probably isn't for you. That noted, Ms. Bird actually uses those POVs quite effectively, with the grandma character very much feeling like an old school small town Southern grandma, particularly of the "knows everybody and their business" variety. On some other aspects, at times the tale gets perhaps a bit *too* blatant in its commentary, seemingly coming millimeters from using the actual names (NXVIM, Allison Mack, etc) it is referring to. At other points, it is perhaps a touch too *obtuse*, at times using a few dozen words when a single word or short phrase would have worked just as well.

But ultimately this was a fun book that managed to keep the pacing and mystery solid enough to be entertaining without being so serious and deep as to be dragging. The surprises were done well and the villains were sufficiently creepy, and the humor was just enough to keep everything refreshing. Very much recommended.

This was a very odd, but intriguing book. There are multiple entertaining, overlapping storylines that you get further glimpses of in each POV chapter you get to. There is murder, tragedy, mystery, and a weird culty group running the small town. I found some of the storylines more interesting than others, but breezed through the book waiting patiently to see how everything got tied up nicely together. Weird and enjoyable! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a solid mystery with a touch of suspense. Three old friends reunite in their hometown and join forces to solve a mystery. Beverly Hoffman, the 65-year-old beloved resident and wife to the founder of Genitive, Inc., is found dead in the Guadalupe River. The police rule it an accidental drowning but Jenny, Nichole and Robin don't believe it. In fact, they uncover so many town secrets that it just might burn it all down!

The story touches on the reality of cults and their toxic and antiquated beliefs. Well written and worth the read!