Kate, a woman who has rebuilt her life after escaping a brutal kidnapping and rape by a serial killer three years earlier, has now found herself in the cross hairs of the copycat who has taken his place. Leaving roses for her each time he take another woman, Kate knows its only a matter of time before he comes for her.

The Rose Reaper is a suspenseful read, one that had me unable to put the book down and had me guessing who the killer could be throughout most of the book. I was a little thrown off over some of the aspects of the original case and why the FBI had stopped investigating and trying to find where the women had been held so soon, but the writing and insight to the characters' psyches along with the edge of your seat suspense easily made up for the flaws in the investigation and kept me hooked. I really enjoyed getting more glimpses into the man Ryan Strickland is as both a man and an investigator and am looking forward to seeing how this series continues on.

Note: The Rose Reaper can be read as a standalone, however it is book two in the Ryan Strickland series picking up shortly after where The Lost Victim ends so I highly recommend reading that one first.

Trigger Warning: Rape described in detail.

Not going to lie, the start of the book was a little jarring as we immediately begin with a rape scene which can be triggering for a lot of readers. The description of the book doesn't give any indication of its content and the lack of a trigger warning might be harmful to readers sensitive to it.

Other than that, this book was quite a read and kept me flipping pages, wanting to know what was going to happen next. It's been a while since I have read a mystery thriller that would have me reading for hours. The writing style was simple yet engaging. The book gives an interesting take on serial killers by showing both the victim's and the killer's perspectives. Not something I had read in any other books before.

Although I guessed who the culprit was later on, the author did a good job of keeping the real culprit hidden till the very last part of the book. It was a little confusing in the beginning to tell who the main character was because even though the series is called ‘Ryan Strickland’ the main focus of the book for the majority of the part was on Kate, the victim. I haven't read the first book in the series so this might be the author's writing style but either way, it didn't bother me enough to reduce a star. It was a good read and I will definitely check out other works in this series.

There was definitely a lot of tension and suspense here coupled with fear and danger of the world around us, especially after a traumatic experience.

I wish I read book 1 because some of the references intrigued me but I will get to reading it eventually. The plot was good but I felt something missing! I would expect a little more from the FBI when investigating things so it seemed a little off but other then that a good story!

I haven't read the first book in this series but after reading this one, I may just do so since this one was so good, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout. I do love a serial killer storyline and this one ticked all the boxes for me. I will be keeping all fingers crossed for another book in this series.

Seriously solid serial killer thriller!

Thank you #netgalley and #thomasandmercer #amazonpublishing for the eARC.

Right off the bat some readers may find the first chapter to be triggering as it does talk about the original rose reaper and the things that he did to his victims, more specifically sexual assault as told from the point of view of the killer himself. However, that part is easily skipped, and once you get past that, the focus is then moved onto the new killings which are not described in a such a graphic manner. In fact, the new killings are never told from the perspective of the copy-cat killer. We are simply told that a woman has gone missing, Kate has received another rose outside of her home, and then the woman's body eventually washes up in the river.

I found that while this story did have some elements that stuck out, for the most part it managed to stick to the typical thriller trope. On one hand we have Ryan working alongside Agent Chapman as one tries to help Kate unlock her memories of that traumatic time while the other works to uncover just who this copy-cat killer is. These two as a dynamic duo were very interesting, Agent Chapman was your typical FBI agent. Determined to get his mind, but sometimes a little too .... focused on things that if he had taken a small step back would have realized were just a little bit too cut and dry. Ryan on the other hand was more interesting to me since I never really got a feel for what he was supposed to be doing. We are told he often consults with the FBI and he is very good and helping victims process their trauma. Which he does. But he also at times seems to be almost profiling the killer even though we are not given any reason to believe he has the sort of background to do so. I also enjoyed the way the killed included Molly as his sort of long-distance girlfriend. It gave him a softer side that I felt made him feel more human.

On the opposite side of the field we have Kate who thought she was building a new life for herself only to be forced back into the past with all of her trauma resurfacing and having to come to terms with the fact that the man she thought she was building a life with may not be the man she thought he was after all. I loved how this character was presented. She had the moments of weakness that were to be expected. You watched her face her trauma head on, and then you watched as she grew as a character and went from "the one who got away" to the "one who will never live in fear again." It sent a powerful message I think about the ability to reclaim your own life after a traumatic event.

There were a couple of instances where I thought I knew who the copycat killer was, and then some moments when I thought I was wrong (even if it seemed a little too convenient), but even when my suspicions were proven right I enjoyed the way the characters finally got there. There was a lot of build-up that I thought was executed very well.

All things considered, I think I am going to go back and give the first novel in this series a read, and if I see anything in the future from this series, if the synopsis appeals to me I'll probably give them a read as well.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this that review are 100% my own.

Wow, this is a really great book. I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. Loved the suspense level and not knowing who the serial killer was. It’s easy to follow even if you haven’t read the first book. Kate escaped a serial killer that was killed at her rescue. But is there a copycat killer now? This was very twisted and loved being on edge. How will they figure it all out in time? Thankfully they do and there’s a halo fever after. I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy and I highly recommend this book.

Wow!! This book reminded me of the Butcher and the Wren and I loved that book too! This book was captivating and so thrilling! I loved that it was multiple POVs including the killers! I loved Kate’s story and how brave she was and how she overcame the fear is actually inspiring. To see her push forward and keep living (even if it is a nightmare) is just astonishing! I can not wait to read more from this author and I had so much fun with this book!

One Was Made A Monster; The Other Chose To Be One

Three years earlier, Kate Doyle was abducted and assaulted. One evening, she frees herself and escapes while her abductor is outside. The cabin she flees in the middle of a forest. As she runs, she hears a voice. She does not know if it was her abductor because he never talked in her presence. The voice says that he does not have to do this. Doyle keeps running as hard as she can until she runs onto a road. She waves it down an approaching car. A husband and wife step out. The wife assists Doyle. The husband calls 911. Soon, a truck drives up between the husband and Doyle. The driver gets out. He is the abductor and calls Doyle by name. He tells her to get in, as the police and FBI show up. The abductor has his hand behind his back. He tells them that Doyle belongs to him. He quickly moves his hand out from behind his back and is shot twice in the chest. The Rose Reaper, who previously had abducted, assaulted, and killed six women, is dead. Three years later, Doyle finds a red rose on her driveway, just like the one the Rose Reaper left when she was abducted. From this start, her nightmare starts again.

The main storyline consists of four threads. Ryan Strickland narrates a thread through which the reader learns what is happening in the investigation. He is a psychologist and an FBI consultant. He was there three years earlier to help Doyle start reestablishing her life. Doyle narrates another thread that provides the tension in the novel as the new killer intends that she will be his seventh victim. The new Rose Reaper narrates a thread so the reader will see his view of events. The last thread is several pages from the original Rose Reaper’s diary. The author weaves the four threads together so skillfully that I had no difficulty following the novel's storyline. The flow of the novel is fast but not too fast. It keeps the suspense high as soon as Doyle’s number seven quickly approaches. Additionally, there are many twists and turns in trying to identify the identity of the new Rose Reaper. Achieving this goal requires much knowledge about the original Rose Reaper’s and his brother’s childhood. Unfortunately, both are dead. My interest was swiftly captured.

As this novel depends much on what happened years earlier, the background provides much insight, primarily centered on Doyle and the original Rose Reaper. These two background threads are also critical to the main storyline. They also offer much insight into these characters and why they act and respond the way they do. Two B-storylines provide more background. They are the relationship between Strickland and Doyle and Strickland’s long-distance relationship with his new love interest. This rich background enhanced my reading enjoyment.

Some aspects that can cause some readers to stop reading are solidly present in this novel, with the prologue being the worst. There are intimate scenes. There are crimes against women and children. There are vulgar and rude language. Violence is described more in the more edgy manner as it occurs. The level of these potential issues earns the warning — let the reader beware. The last category in this group is anything required from the previous novel. This is the second novel in the series. I have the first novel in the series but have not read it. I did not feel that there were any unexplained references.

What I enjoyed in this novel was the complexity of the investigation of both Rose Reapers and the background provided on the main characters. I enjoyed that this novel made me think. The issue that bothered me the most was that I felt the investigation had a severe flaw. As for the ending, there were not any loose ends, and I was pleased with the ending for the Rose Reaper. As for the author, this novel was the first that I have read by this author. As such, she is in my Pending Category. I recommend reading it if the teaser interests you, but with the abovementioned caveat. If you can read past the prologue, you should be able to complete the novel. I look forward to reading the first novel in the series I own. I rate this novel with four stars.

I received this novel's free prepublication e-book version through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer. My review is based solely on my own reading experience of this book. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

The Lost Victim was an excellent thriller but The Rose Reaper by Jennifer Hunter is another phenomenal story that kept me turning the page’s.
Serial killer thrillers are some of my most favorite stories to read and this one was an intriguing and entertaining read.
It is a well-crafted book that gives us a good story through the main characters, it is filled with a good amount of mystery, thrill, and intrigue.

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This book chilled me to the bone! What a crazy, wild story. It felt like a really disturbing episode of criminal minds!

My thanks to Thomas and Mercer, Jennifer Hunter and Netgalley.
Short review. I loved this and ms. Hunter has found a new reader.

Looking for a fast paced serial killer novel to read?! The Rose Reaper was good and held my attention. I liked the use of roses and the psychological insights into the serial killer in this story. Also, I loved the MC, Kate’s gumption. At times the dialogue came off as a little unrealistic and I guessed the ultimate killer pretty early on. Despite these two minor issues, I still enjoyed reading this book and would recommend reading this to people who like to read psychological thrillers with serial killer involvement.

Thank you @netgalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

A great thriller that you are thrown into the mix from page one. It is a wild ride with twist and turns though the whole story that keep you guessing and on your toes.

I loved the first book in this series so I was so excited to dive into book #2. Content and trigger warning: the book does depict sexual assault.

The Rose Reaper by Jennifer Hunter is a dark and twisted ride. A serial killer on the hunt opens the door to a woman’s terrifying past in a pulse-pounding thriller. Three years ago, Kate Doyle escaped a serial killer who died at the hands of her rescuers. FBI consultant and psychologist Ryan Strickland helped Kate rebuild her life, and the case was closed on the Rose Reaper’s seven victims—the six who were killed and Kate, the one who got away.

Today, Kate has a good man in her life, a secure job, and hope. But her dreams for the future become a nightmare when a copycat killer starts hunting. One by one, with each new body, comes a gift for Kate: a single red rose. And then the warning: See you soon.

The story is told from varying timelines. The story is compelling at the beginning and toward the end. The middle seemed to drag a bit for me, and I found myself skimming some of the content. I did like Kate and the stalking and story were scary. There were many suspects to choose from, and the characters were developed well and had good psychological twists to keep me guessing.

The Rose Reaper is the second installment in the Ryan Strickland series. Although it is the second in the series it can be read as a standalone.

Kate Doyle is the only survivor of the serial killer dubbed the Rose Reaper. Three years have passed since she escaped and he was killed and, with Ryan’s help, she has rebuilt her life and found a new love. Her future is looking optimistic when a copycat killer targets her and it’s a race against time to stop him and save Kate.

This is my first book by Jennifer Hunter and I didn’t know what to expect. It was definitely a darker read than I expected but it kept me interested. The book is told from multiple POVs, including Kate’s, Ryan’s, and the killer’s. This helped to flesh out the characters and get me invested in their stories. The author does a good job keeping us on our toes. There are several possible suspects and just when you think you’ve figured it out a new clue pops up that has you questioning everything you thought you knew.

This was a quick read that really held my interest and I am looking forward to reading future books in the series.

Thanks NetGally and Thomas & Mercer for this advanced copy.

This book wasn’t bad, It did hold my interest for the most part. I found I enjoyed the 1st book in series better. I did find some errors in the writing where Reed and Ryan’s names were mixed up. I should have made note of it and noted which pages they could be found. All in all it was a decent read and look forward to more books to this series as I can’t wait to see what kind of case Ryan Strickland is involved in next !

I thought The Lost Victim was a wild ride. This beat that by a long shot.

I love the writing style Jennifer uses in her thrillers. Adding in the multiple POV helps give a deeper layer of twists and turns and keep you guessing.

I thought for sure the killer was one person only to find out it was someone else.

I can’t wait to read more about Ryan and the many cases he’s helping with.

Rating - 5/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - February 9, 2024
Publication Date - March 5, 2024

*I received an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @amazonpublishing and @netgalley!

The Rose Reaper is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone without any problems, which is what I did. There was action right away and it was quite fast-paced throughout the book. I found the perspective of the serial killer interesting because of my criminology interests but going through the reviews, I can understand why it wouldn’t be for everyone. So, that’s something to take into consideration before reading this book if that is a trigger for you. The author does a great job of making you question who you think is the serial killer because they keep throwing you off and it goes back and forth a lot.

If you want a fast-paced, serial killer book with a hint of romance, The Rose Reaper is for you!

Get excited to read The Rose Reaper, available March 5, 2024! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*