This was so good! I loved the three women's perspectives and how their storylines all connected. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and loved the contrast between the journalist aspect, police procedural, and grieving mother. This felt so Mare of Easttown and I did not want to put it down. Easily one of my favorite reads of the year and definitely my favorite Fiona Barton book so far!

It was hard to care much for the characters in Fiona Barton's new novel Talking To Strangers. It seemed like each character had a surplus of faults. The cops came off the best, the reporter Kiki not so much. As for the villains, we had a murderer, a rapist and a homosexual. Naturally the author chose to kill off the homosexual, just like they did in fifties novels. The others live on.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Okay first of all this book had me sobbing in a puddle at one point. I was definitely invested in what was going on with all three women who are narrating this twisty thriller. I did call the surprise twist, but I promise it’s a good one. This was a solid thriller and it’s a definite contender for thriller of 2024.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the copy of this ARC! This will be out August 27th! Make sure to add it to your TBR!

I made it to 40% in this book and just couldn't finish it.

Kiki is a hard character to like. I didn't know that this novel would include rape and pedophilia. Those are two triggers that I stay away from.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. I'm sure it will find it's audience

since I didn't finish the book I will not be posting a review on purchasing sites.

Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton (Elise King, #2)

After reading Barton's Local Gone Missing and meeting Detective Elise King and her next door neighbor, Ronnie, I mentioned in that review that I'd like to see both characters again. Here they are in the second book focusing on Detective Elise King. She is further along in her health recovery and back at work although she is still suffering brain fog and other remnants of her cancer treatment. But she has great backup from her second and does even better when she remembers to use her sticky notes.

Once again the story is chock full of characters but I did a better job of keeping track of all of them this time. Each short chapter is titled with a character's name and we get the POV of that character. This kept things snappy for me and often gave the characters a chance to escape my frustration or wrath. They'd do something very dumb, horrible, mean, etc, and just as I was about to throw my Kindle, the chapter would be over and we'd be with a different character and POV.

There are so many serious situations in this story. Online dating and violence against women are two of the big topics tackled and we meet Kiki, an aggressive journalist who wants to be known as a more serious reporter. She's already been interviewing women about the perils of online dating when a woman who was a heavy user of the dating apps is killed. Kiki, much to the chagrin of Elise, decides to really start digging deep and she's flirting with danger. I have to admit I was extremely frustrated with Kiki. She's a smart woman who knows as well as anyone the things she should avoid when it comes to online dating but it's as if she turns off her brain at times.

Ronnie is back, gossiping, blabbing, and still watching over Elise. Could the murder of Karen have something to do with a long ago murder of a little boy? They don't seem connected except the bodies were found in the same place. There are loads of red herrings, liars, rotten men...so many rotten men, and information we know from one character but that is withheld from other characters who might make good use of the information. It's a dark world out there and whether it seems fair or not, we all need to keep our sense of self preservation alive.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.

1 murder in the present. 1 murder in the past. 3 women’s POV. 17 days.

Elise: Detective investigating the death of Karen, a small town hairdresser. The investigation constantly brings twists and turns-never giving Elise a break. She is still recovering from her cancer diagnosis and treatments. Her brain is a bit foggy and she is frustrated that things are different now. She wants to feel a sense of normalcy again. Breaking the case will prove she is still just as good of a detective as she was before.

Kiki: Reporter stuck in a dead end job and looking to break a story that will provide her with better career options. She just may have found the perfect story. Karen was murdered, but she had just interviewed her 5 days earlier regarding modern age dating apps. Will Kiki be able to use the victims own words and interview to find clues about her murderer?

Annie: A grieving mother and wife. Her young son was found dead 16 years ago. She’s never been able to fully move on, but now that a second body has been found in the same location, she begins to spiral and question what really happened to her son.

I liked how well woven and distinct the alternating POVs were written. Multiple POVs and short chapters are my jam. It makes it so easy to keep reading longer than I was planning. This kept my attention all the way through. I did end up predicting most of the reveals (maybe not fully, but each twist had crossed my mind at some point), but that didn’t cause me to like the book any less. I did find it a little frustrating how easily everyone spilled the tea with Kiki the reporter. It felt like there was barely ever any push back and it seemed unlikely she could single handedly obtain the amount of information she did. Again, I enjoyed the writing so much that I was able to suspend belief.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Pub Date Aug 27 2024

Author Fiona Barton taps into the wildly popular world of online dating in her latest thriller, TALKING TO STRANGERS. Highly relevant in today's world of online dating, this story highlights the potential danger associated with connecting with virtual strangers. In doing so, Barton also explores the social divide that exists between those who get off on victim blaming and those who remain focused on stopping the predators using the platforms to stalk unsuspecting victims as well as women's continuous struggle to overcome misogyny.

DI Elise King suspects a middle age murder victim's prolific online dating activity may have led to her death. Karen Simmons frequented the apps in hopes of finding a real connection that might lead to true love, but in letting down her guard, did she unwittingly invite a killer into her life? Half the town believes she reaped what she sowed while the other half protest violence against women. Kiki Nunn is a reporter in need of that one big story to catapult her back to the top of her field and having recently interviewed Simmons about the pros and cons of online dating, she's especially chagrined over her murder, pledging to unmask the killer at any cost. The story could potentially land her back on the front pages of major newspapers, but is it also putting her in the killer's crosshairs? As the story unfolds, readers also meet Anni, a mother still grieving the loss of her son whose body was discovered in the same area and manner as Karen's fifteen years prior. Are the cases connected? DI Elise King has her work cut out for her and despite suffering the continuing effects of chemotherapy for cancer, she’ll stop at nothing to bring these grieving families' closure.

TALKING WITH STRANGERS is delivered through the three engaging points of view of Elise, Kiki and Annie. The author does an excellent job portraying each woman's strength while allowing readers to feel their pain and vulnerability, their desire for a real connection with another loving human being. Barton doesn't shy away from highlighting prevalent issues including the world of online dating with its many potential dangers and cultural blaming via the points of view of these three women. While there are several potential red herrings with motive for characters and readers to sift through, savvy couch detectives will uncover the who and why early on, and yet the drama unfolding on the pages along with the need to see these three brave women get justice holds readers attention to the end.

Author Fiona Barton has rendered another highly atmospheric, entertaining police procedural in TALKING WITH STRANGERS. Both the characters and plot line command readers' attention while earning their empathy. The topic of online dating and its usage by our aging population looking for love in today's world is highly relevant and thought-provoking. While today’s society is painfully aware of the danger faced by unsupervised children using the internet, not enough attention is paid to lonely older adults who are also vulnerable to exploitation by online predators. Kudos to Barton for tackling relevant issues facing today's society with love and grace. With short concise chapters, shifting points of view and a tense, fast pace, fans of mysteries and police procedures will be engaged from beginning to end while reading TALKING WITH STRANGERS.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug. 27, 2024
Fiona Barton, author of “Local Gone Missing” and the Kate Waters series of novels brings us a new story with a new detective at its core- but “Talking to Strangers” is so much more than that.
Local woman Karen Simmons is found the day after Valentines Day, obviously murdered, her body left against a tree. Detective Elise King and her team catch the case and immediately, Elise begins to wonder if Karen was killed by someone she met while online dating. Anyone who knew Karen spoke of her online dating activity and it seems to Elise that Karen was likely killed by someone she had recently met. But something isn’t adding up when local reporter, Kiki, brings information to Elise that ties Karen’s murder with the murder of a ten-year-old child from years ago. How are the two very different murders related?
“Talking to Strangers” has two other protagonists besides Elise, with complex and important roles in the plot. Kiki, a local reporter who is desperate for the story that will allow her to make her return to the journalism world in a big way and Annie, who is the mother of the young boy who was murdered in the same town years ago. All three women are connected arbitrarily to each other, and to the dead woman, but each one ends up helping the others out in crucial ways.
There are thick, emotional themes in Barton’s “Strangers”, including misogyny and the ‘incel’ lifestyle, sexual assault, child molestation and, of course, murder. Although the topics are heavy, Barton is fair in her depiction while leaving out the graphic details. I was able to feel the emotions of everyone involved, without having to hear the play-by-play of the vilest parts, and, in this case, I appreciated it.
Each woman narrates a chapter, which ends in a suspenseful way, such that I kept reading cliffhanger after cliffhanger until the end of the novel. “Strangers” was compulsively readable, as are the majority of Barton’s books that I have read. I enjoyed the characters, the complicated relationships and the female camaraderie that led to the resolution of not one, but two, murders (no spoilers given).
I am not sure if “Strangers” is going to go the way of other police novels and spawn a series, but I enjoyed Elise King enough to keep reading if Barton chooses to go that route. If not, Barton’s psychological suspense novels will always appeal to me, so I’ll be reading her next one, whatever the subject matter.

This was such a great book omg so many twists and turns. Highly highly recommend!!!!! This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I did not expect the ending. Omg it was insane. She is such an amazing storyteller.

Nice mystery that kept my attention for two days at the beach. I liked the online dating aspect of the plot as that is something I participate in myself so I could really relate to some of it!

This was a good, quick read delving into the dark realities of online dating and the predators lurking there. While the concept was solid, I found my mind wandering a few times. It was a little predictable and slow-paced, and overall, it didn't exactly stick out from all my other reads so far. However, if you find yourself intrigued by the description and you are a fan of multiple P.O.V's, give this a shot. Three stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group, for this ARC.

I enjoyed Talking to Strangers. I've had a love-hate relationship with Fiona Barton's books so I wasn't sure how I'd react to this one. I thought it was good, I liked the story and thought it was well done.

3.5🌟
Get ready to swipe right!
Karen Simmons is not sitting idly by waiting for Mr.Right to come knocking. No sir! She’s putting herself out there determined to have the best time of her life until she settles down.
And if that means using several online dating apps until then, well a girls gotta’ do….

But when Karen disappears and eventually found murdered, the police feel confident that it was someone she’d met online.

Enter D.I. Elise King. We were introduced to her in book one of this series Local Gone Missing. Elise has her own personal battles she’s conquering…the biggest being breast cancer.

She’s returned to work but still feels the effects of the chemo-induced brain fog that just lingers on.
With her present case revolving around dating, Elise reflects on just how lonely she truly is. Maybe it’s time to allow someone in…

We also have Kiki Nunn, a journalist who is determined to break this same murder mystery and won’t be held back to make that happen. Even if it means putting herself in danger.

Can either woman find the killer before he strikes again?

I love a good police procedural but this latest by Fiona Barton just failed to completely grip me.
I found it a bit slow moving for my taste. I wanted more from our detective (personally and professionally) and felt it lacked the depth I was hoping to experience.

Will I pick up the next in the series….🤷🏻‍♀️
Who am I kidding! Of course I will! I’m hoping Fiona Barton will take even a deeper dive into Elise’s character.🙏

Thank you to Berkley Publishing via NetGalley

Fiona Barton never fails to tell a good story and “Talking to Strangers” is no different. This mystery unfolds from different viewpoints.

For those wanting a quick moving book, this one won’t be for you and that was the reason I had trouble keeping engaged initially. The characters are solid, but I didn’t really find myself caring about any one of them.

Even so, while a bit predictable, it was a good mystery and I’d recommend it for a quick weekend read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for my advanced copy.

Talking to Strangers follows the 17 day murder investigation of a middle-aged single woman from a variety of angles. Karen was still looking for the love of her life - organizing single events, on a variety of dating apps, when she was murdered and her body left posed in the woods. Elise is the DI assigned to the case. She’s just getting over treatment for breast cancer and suffering from chemo brain. Kiki is the reporter who had been interviewing Karen about the dating world for adults and now sees reporting on her murder as a way to score a big scoop. Then there’s Alice, who lost her young son in the same location 15 years earlier. The three women are all fully fleshed out and I was engaged in each of their stories. Even the secondary characters, like DS Caro and Elise’s neighbor, Ronnie, are developed.
The book makes some interesting points about victim blaming and also the whole online dating world for those past the first blush of youth. And the writing is so intense. It was way too easy to envision what the characters were experiencing. Trigger warnings for rape. The who/how/why or both main storylines were easy to piece together from early on, despite a number of red herrings. But it was an enjoyable ride to get to the end to see if I was right.
This isn’t billed as the second in a series but Elise King is the investigator in both stories. This can easily be read as a standalone.
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book.

DI Elise King is back to work after battling cancer in the small town of Ebbing. A local woman, Karen Simmons, is murdered on Valentine's Day and DI King wonders if she was a target of an online dating predator. I found this book to be unsettling and alarming due to the descriptions of the online dating community and its various darker offshoots. DI King's daily battle with her "chemo brain fog", the struggles of a local single reporter who delves into the online dating scene to help catch the killer and the small-town atmosphere of gossip and busybodies combine for a slow burn to an explosive, twisted ending. I enjoyed this trip down the rabbit hole with Fiona Barton and look forward to her next book!

DNF

Didn't connect with the characters in this one. Felt like something was missing. Approachable writing, but kind of slow.

A lively woman, who is actively dating online, winds up dead. She's popular, and there are plenty of suspects. The ending is beyond creepy.

Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this book for review purposes. This is a great book. DCI Elise King is back at work after undergoing a mastectomy. Kiki is a plucky reporter who is feeling under appreciated by her 20 something boss Miles. Annie Curtis is the mother of a boy killed in Knapton Woods. When Karen Simmons is found dead in the same spot as Annie’s son, Archie, the investigation goes into high gear. Kiki decides to go undercover and find out what the dating scene is now. Until she meets a not-so-perfect gentleman. Elise is doing all she can to keep the plates in the air. Annie doesn’t really seem to trust her husband. This book would be great for book club. It touches on topics in a more than superficial way. There will be lots to discuss—women, dating, age, hook ups, family. This would also make a great beach read. Get this and thank me later

I didn’t love but I didn’t hate this book. It was a solid mystery, but it is slower paced, and easy to figure out. While I really wanted to enjoy this one more, I feel that it fell victim to trying to fit too many hot topic items into one book. I am noticing a trend right now where this is happening, and I can say that I am not a fan. It feels like we are taking a handful of pasta and throwing it at the wall and hoping some of the noodles, hot topics, stick or resonate with our readers. Not to say this book was bad, I really think that it had some fabulous potential and had some awesome points going for it. This book is told through three different points of view, and I really felt connected to one of them. It was interesting how while two of the characters made sense and were connected the third was kind of loosely connected and we needed to figure out why. I think the short chapters, while usually my preferred reading style, really through things off here because just when I got into it, we switched, so they were just a little too short. Despite having a lot of hot button topics, this book did make me think and was thought provoking. While this wasn’t my favorite read of the year, I would recommend it to certain readers who I know would enjoy it.