Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton is a highly recommended procedural and the second book in the series featuring Detective Inspector Elise King following Local Gone Missing (2022). This is a good choice for those who enjoy procedurals.

In the small town of Epping in Essex, England, Karen Simmons, a popular hairdresser, is murdered and her body is left in Knapton Wood on the day after Valentine’s Day. Detective Inspector Elise King is back on the job after her mastectomy and chemotherapy. She is concerned about her ability to focus due to chemo brain, but is relying on notes to help her. Elise wonders if Karen was killed by a man she met online.

Kiki Nunn, a journalist and single mother, is closely following the murder investigation while aggressively conducting her own investigation into Karen's life. This includes joining online dating apps and looking at any/all of the men she was seeing.

Annie Curtis, one of Simmons’s clients, never recovered from the death of her son, eight-year-old Archie, who was killed sixteen years ago in the same woods. Although the police arrested a man for the crime, Annie still has questions about the investigation and wonders if the murders might be connected.

The short quick chapters in the narrative alter between the point-of view of Elise, Kiki, and Anne to propel the story forward and increase the tension and suspense. Although this is the second in a series, it can easily be read as a standalone novel. All the lead characters are fully realized individuals and the plot, while full of complications, is compelling. Admittedly, many fans of procedurals and investigative mysteries are going to figure out where everything is headed very early on, but it is an intriguing, thought provoking, intense, and entertaining journey to the end.

The plot in Talking to Strangers has many complexities so part of the pleasure is following the different leads, disclosures, discoveries, and viewpoints heading toward the devastating resolution. Thanks to Berkley for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Talking To Strangers by Fiona Barton is the second in FBI Agent Elise King series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Berkley Publishing and Penguin Random House Canada and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background: (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
DI Elise King is now living in Ebbing. After almost ten years together, Hugh had left her for a younger woman. Elise is now back at work, but still feeling the effects of chemo after her mastectomy. She works with DS Caro Brennan. The coroner is Aoife Mortimer. Elise's friend and neighbour Ronnie, although nosy, seems to know everyone in town, so sometimes she's quite helpful. So is reporter Kiki Nunn.



My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
The body of 44-year-old Karen Simmons is found in Knapton Wood.

Kiki Nunn, a journalist, is trying to get her career back on track, and she is determined to make this story the one to do it. Luckily, she had met Karen the week before when she was interviewing women for an article she was writing regarding romance and on-line dating. So Kiki already knew about the dating apps Karen was using, and some of the creeps she had met. That is what Kiki is going to write about, and she plans on delving into it herself.

Elise and her team are concentrating on the local men that Karen was dating. Kiki's interference is messing with Elise's case.

Meanwhile, a 16 year old cold case comes into play. Annie's son Archie was killed in the same woods where Karen was found. The family has never been the same.



My Opinions:
I was thrilled when I heard about another Elise King book. My wish from my last review came true! Elise is a strong protagonist, and she has a great team behind her.

I liked how the chapters were outlined in consecutive days, since the last book used a back and forth timeline. The story was mainly told by Elise and Kiki, as well as grieving mother Annie. That worked really well.

The book was about sexual predators, on-line dating, and victim-shaming. It was also about loneliness and family. The plot held my interest from start to finish, and although I correctly identified the killer, it wasn't until the end that I was proven right.

I found the pace fast, and the book was done in no time.

I can't wait for the next in this series!

Talking to Strangers is new crime fiction from Fiona Barton.

"When Karen Simmons is murdered on Valentine's Day, Detective Elise King wonders if she was killed by someone she met online. Karen was on all the dating apps and some are blaming her for her own death while others are protesting society's violence against women.
Kiki Nunn is a reporter searching for a scoop. She's willing to go up against Elise and the killer to get it."

This is a slow-burn, British crime fiction story - almost a procedural. Barton paints a bleak picture of life for women in rural British society and a terrible representation of men. There is not a single male character in the story that's a decent human being - none.
Elise is back from the previous book. Her cancer recovery is going slowly and she's unsure how effective she can be. She wants to do what's best for the victims.
Several plot twists at the end, including one you'll never guess. A great pick for fans of slow-burn crime fiction.

Thank you, Berkley and NetGalley, for my free book for review.

When a woman is found dead in the woods of a small town, a detective and a reporter find themselves on the same path to uncover the truth behind that fateful night.

The narrative revolves around three women: Elise, the detective; Kiki, the reporter; and Alice, the grieving mother. The author skillfully peels back the layers of these women’s hopes and sorrows. Elise, a divorcee and cancer survivor, is deeply invested in solving the murder, yet she also embarks on the daunting journey of dating again. Her struggles with self-doubt and body insecurities are portrayed with heartfelt authenticity. Kiki, a spirited single mother and relentless reporter, quickly becomes my favorite character. I admire how she refuses to be a victim and demonstrates unwavering determination in her pursuit of justice. Her fearlessness adds dynamic energy to the story. Meanwhile, Alice, though more passive, is driven by her desperate need for answers regarding her son’s murder, which plays a crucial role in the unfolding mystery.

Told from multiple perspectives, the fast-paced narrative allows us to explore every angle of the story, keeping me thoroughly engaged throughout the novel. The red herrings tossed into the plot send me on a tailspin of twists and turns that keep me questioning who the true culprit could be. And let me tell you, the ending does not disappoint—it’s a shocking conclusion that lingers in your mind.

This novel resonates powerfully with today’s dating scene, as it delves into the dangers posed by predators lurking in the online world. It’s a gripping read that not only entertains but also provokes thought about the complexities of modern dating.

Detective Elise King, dealing with a cancer diagnosis, is tasked with finding the killer of Karen, a local hairdresser found dead in Knapton Woods. This book deals with the perils of online dating and what secrets the family of Archie, a young boy also found dead in Knapton Woods, have been hiding and how both are they connected.

Another fantastic mystery from Fiona Barton! Talking To Strangers has quite a few threads that the author deftly weaves together.

A single, middle-aged woman murdered in the woods puts everyone in town on edge. The women are worried for their own safety. There is an underlying thought of how women using online dating apps can only expect that sort of thing. There’s obvious hypocrisy from the men-both married and single-around town who critic the women they’ve hooked up with via these same online sites. And, there is a 16-year old closed case that doesn’t want to stay closed.

The story is told from the POV of three women, D.I. Elise King, reporter Kiki Nunn, and Annie Curtis, the mother of a young boy who lost his life in the same area 16 years ago. Independently, the push the investigations forward until unexpected events loosely merges Kiki and Elise’s efforts.

There is a strong steady pace that allows the story lines to deepen and reveal an increasingly complex plot. Ms. Barton’s latest novel kept me turning pages until late in the night.

Great fast paced thriller. This one was so full of twists and turns and hidden connections! The story starts with the murder of Karen a local woman known to be “out there” on dating apps. The entire town starts shutting down and soon everyone realizes they may not know their neighbors as much as they thing. With several sub stories also playing it this one kept me attention on full alert! I did guess the final twist but I wasn’t mad about it lol

Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton took me a while to read, but it was so good. When a woman is found murdered in the woods, the investigation opens the door for all kinds of creepy people to be investigated. I was eagerly reading as the plot twisted and turned and made me doubt everyone.

The story is told from the POV of Elise, the investigator, Kiki who is a reporter, and Anna whose son was found dead in the same woods. Is there a common thread between the death of a little boy and a woman who was trying to find love?

I highly recommend this novel if you enjoy well-written suspense that keeps you reading late into the night!

Detective Elise King’s investigation into a woman’s murder is getting derailed by a reporter who insists on doing her own investigation in this nail-biting mystery from the author of Local Gone Missing.

When Karen Simmons is murdered on Valentine’s Day, Detective Elise King wonders if she was killed by a man she met online. Karen was all over the dating apps, leading some townspeople to blame her for her own death, while others band together to protest society’s violence against women. Into the divide comes Kiki Nunn, whose aggressive newsgathering once again antagonizes Elise.

A single mother of a young daughter, Kiki is struggling to make a living in the diminished news landscape. Getting a scoop in the Simmons murder would do a lot for her career, and she’s willing to go up against not just Elise but the killer himself to do it.

I received a digital advance copy of Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton via NetGalley. Talking to Strangers is scheduled for release on August 27, 2024.

Talking to Strangers is the second book in a series following detective Elise King. This novel alternates between her point of view and the viewpoint of Kiki, a reporter who becomes entwined in Ellie’s investigation. Ellie is investigating the murder of a local woman whose body was found in the woods. Kiki had been talking with the woman as part of her investigation into the dating scene for middle-aged women, particularly the use of dating apps. The investigation also pulls in Annie, a mother whose son was found murdered in the wood sixteen years ago. The three women cross paths in their separate searches for the truth, both getting in each other’s way and pushing each other’s investigations forward.

We spend the most time with Elise in this novel, which makes sense as she is the continuing character in the series. I was unaware this was a book two when I picked it up, and while I could tell this was continuing a character from a previous book, I still felt that I got to know Elise well. Kiki is a new addition to the series in this book (I think). We spend a bit less time with her, but still get to know her, her motivations, and her challenges well. I would not be surprised if she continues in the series, working as a sort of supportive foil to Elise.

This story is set in England, which always provides challenges for me as an American reader. While there were some references I didn’t quite catch, I was still able to follow what was happening in the story. I did find myself a bit uncertain regarding the woods and other settings in the story. I could have used a bit more description and explanation to help me get the layout of the important places.

The mystery was well developed by Barton, giving enough clues for the resolution to make sense, and providing surprises along the way. I found myself working to put the pieces together until they clicked into place for me moments before Kiki figured things out. I did also predict the final twist before it happened, but still found it satisfying to see play out.

Overall, Talking to Strangers is an enjoyable mystery/suspense that delivers a solid story. I would continue with this series, and other books by Fiona Barton.

I received a free Advance Reader Copy through NetGalley and I leave this review voluntarily.

There is a lot going on in this little gem. It is narrated by Kiki (reporter), Elise (police officer) and Annie (mother of child killed 14 years earlier).. This is book 2 so initially some reference to previous book before moving on. A woman is murdered and a cast of characters are introduced while piecing together The woman’s relationships and last movements. There seemed to be a few too many references to Elise’s cancer. diagnosis and her struggle to function. The location of the murder triggers memories for Annie who wonders if they are related. She had never believed the truth of what happened to her son was fully explained. She pushes to have the case reviewed with fresh eyes. It took me awhile to become vested in the characters but the pace seemed to pick up and drew me in. I would recommend.

Although I also had the eArc as well I decided to listen to this one and I’m so glad I did ! I loved the narrators - they were awesome as was the story . There was so much going on with each of the characters and a few mysteries to solve . Towards the end I could predict the ending although at the beginning it was pulled in many different directions . I really hope there is a book 3 with Elise and Kiki.

Story 4.5 ⭐️
Audio 5 ⭐️

I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as I have other books by Fiona Barton, but I also didn’t read the first book in this series, Local Girl Gone Missing.

There are three narrators in this novel. Detective Elise King is investigating the murder of a woman whose body was left in the woods. It appears that the victim used dating apps, so the focus becomes these apps and a group of creepy trolls who rate the women they date, including Karen.

Another narrator is Kiki, a single mother who is trying to elevate her journalism career. She decides to do the dating apps herself and do her own investigating, often to the consternation of Elise.

The last POV is a mother whose son was murdered in those same woods sixteen years earlier. The murder of Karen brings all the nightmares to the surface, even though they never really went away.

The men in this book make it so that if you’re single, you’ll never want to date again. There were twists in this, but even though all three women had demons of their own, I never identified with any of them—I felt distant to their struggles.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this mystery, which RELEASES AUGUST 27, 2024.

Right from the very start, I was pulled into this intricately-woven mystery surrounding the murder of forty-four-year-old Karen Simmons and was hard-pressed to put the story down. The book deals with a myriad of complex issues and emotions—especially as it pertains to women and the pitfalls of on-line dating—and is highly suspenseful, right up until the very end. Although “Talking to Strangers” is the second installment in author Fiona Barton’s Elise King series, it can easily be read as a standalone, so you don’t need to have read the first book in this series in order to fully enjoy this one.

Detective Elise king is back at it after a battle with cancer. She’s trying to get back into the grove of being back at work and being social with her single friends. When a Karen from the singles group is found dead in the park, Elise has to figure out who did it and soon. She also has reporter KiKi nipping at her heals trying to investigate more on her own. The dynamic between the two was interesting, helping each other but also crossing lines. What i really liked about this book there was the mix of two cases being talked about and how the effects of the new crime are mixed in. The complex nature of a small town adds to it all. The drama, the rumors, and judgment make it so much harder to find the facts. There were many side characters that stood out and I couldn’t just say who was truly involved. I had fun trying to guess who was involved. I felt like yelling at the characters at certain points saying Do you not see that??! And This is not a good idea! It all came together in a satisfying way! Overall a fast paced read that had me entertained and flipping pages.

Thank you to @Berkleypublishing and Netgalley for my #gifted copy

Talking to Strangers is a thought-provoking thriller that effectively captures the reader's attention from start to finish. Its strengths lie in its well-crafted characters, intricate plot, and timely themes. While the slower pace may deter some readers, those who appreciate a detailed and character-driven story will find much to enjoy. Fiona Barton's latest novel is a testament to her skill as a storyteller and her ability to tackle contemporary issues within the framework of a suspenseful narrative.

Solid thriller from Barton, as expected. The premise was interesting and fully delivered. Good pacing and a quick read. I would recommend, thank you for the publisher for the ARC. More detailed review to follow.

This is my first book by Fiona Barton, which is the second title in the Elise King series. And it can certainly be read as a standalone. I'm not a big fan of series’ or police procedurals and this book is both (but I've always wanted to read a Barton book) and because of that, I was surprised by how much I liked it.

This is a slow burn of a murder mystery where we get to know the residents of the seaside town of Ebbing. We get three points of view in the story, the first is Detective Elise King who the series is named, the second is reporter Kiki and the third is grieving mother Annie. (Why is it we have a name for when a spouse dies either widow or widower or if our parents die we are called orphans but there's no title for the parents of a dead child?) The chapters from Annie's point of view were the ones I enjoyed the most. The three narratives were woven together seamlessly with short, punchy chapters. I found the book completely immersive and compelling and my interest was piqued throughout but the epilogue was not surprising at all.

Barton is an author I’ve wanted to read for a while now and I'm glad I got the opportunity to read this one but I don't think I'd read any more of this series or anything else by the author. Don't get me me wrong, it was a fun read if a bit predictable but it didn’t wow me.

I love a good police procedural book because of the intricate details that go into a murder investigation. It's why I binge all shows on Investigation Discovery channel - the work and thought into solving a crime interests me and TALKING TO STRANGERS filled that need with plenty of twists and turns along the way with an ending that shocked me!

Another just okay one for me from this author. I keep trying as The Widow was so good, but it seems that the shine has gone. Sorry! Thank you for the opportunity.

Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton is the 2nd book in her Elise King series. This is another one of Barton’s exciting suspense novels, with Detective Elise King, once again the lead. We also get to see two other POV’s, one from Kiki Nunn, a journalist who is investigating the recent murder, and one from Annie, who lost her son 13 years ago in the same woods that Karen Simmons was recently found murdered.

Detective Elise King is assigned to the case, even though she still has her own issues getting over her treatment of cancer. Karen’s body was found in Ebbing Woods, propped up against a tree and suffocated. Elise wonders if someone from the dating community met her murderer from there, as Karen has a reputation of having interactions with various men. Was one of them a stalker? Most of the town knew about Karen’s reputation, and believed she reaped what she sowed.

Kiki Nunn is a reporter, and had recently interviewed Karen on the pros and cons of online dating. After Karen’s murder, Kiki is determined to jump on the case, to get her on the top of her field. She is upset about the murder, and is willing do everything to help find who killed Karen; Kiki constantly calls Elise to give her some clues, which does drive Elise crazy; since it’s too dangerous for Kiki to be involved with trying to discover clues.

Though 13 years ago, Annie lost her son, but with the murder taking place in the same woods, she is determined to look further into what has happened. Annie and her husband have problems, and she suspected him of having affairs; which led him to tell Annie that years ago, he did have an affair with Karen. Annie now decides she needs to get more information about her son’s death, and find the truths.
I did think that for almost half the book, it was a bit slow, especially going back and forth with all three narrators; but the last half picked up a lot, and became very exciting. I really did like Elise, who really was a great detective, especially so focused on the finding the killer. Kiki was another good character, as she was brave, but she took too many chances that endangered her life. Annie was very good, and will learn more information about her son’s death, that would change everything. From the start to finish, there was so much going on, with many suspects, which did cause the beginning to be slow.

Talking to Strangers was a very good exciting mystery thriller, that was challenging and kept our attention throughout. Talking to Strangers was very well written by Fiona Barton. If you like mystery thrillers, a great detective, I suggest you read Talking to Strangers.