Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Calling My Children Home by Lauren Street in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed the story and characters in this book, it made me want to go back and read the previous four books.

Title: Calling My Children Home
Author: Lauren Street
Publisher: Sterling & Stone
Pub date: 2/20/24

Rileigh Bishop (former cop) returns home to her small town in TN where she gets involved with the local sheriff to help find a missing child because she knows the town people better. More events unfold drawing you in and upping the stakes for Rileigh.

Who and why would someone take a child from a school carnival? Can She bring the child home?

Some twists. Quick read. I really felt like I could visualize this small town and it’s cast of characters.

This is book #5 in the series but, can be read as a standalone.

Thank you NetGalley and Sterling & Stone for the opportunity to get lost in this installment of the Rileigh Bishop series.

Ex-police officer Rileigh Bishop has heard the rumors about the missing children from the ‘50s and ‘60s. Everyone has. But she’s never put much stock in them –

Until a five-year-old girl goes missing from an elementary school carnival.

Rileigh and Mitch rush to find the girl, but before they can, another child vanishes.

It’s a case that spans generations, and Rileigh is the only one who can stop it.

But while she’s looking for the missing children, someone is looking for her.

And they’re getting closer.

And closer.
This book was amazing from start to finish. Really enjoyed the plot.

I didn’t know this was a part of a series, but it was definitely good! I am definitely going to start from book 1 and read all the others! Definitely worth the read!!

Good continuation of the series. I felt like this book lacked some of the depth the other books had.

this one is quite good too! leading from the previous book, this one started with another case where missing children are involved in the tight knit town. the beginning was a bit all over the place with the multiple introductions and names so I feel it could be better edited. not predictable and I was surprised by some of the bits in the plot. once again I am here for ship of Mitch and Rileigh to start sailing for real. this one can be read as a standalone too!

This book had me hooked right off the bat. I have read this full series to date and am enjoying it immensely. Rileigh has grown so much. She is getting her life in order.
There were some good twists in this particular storyline. I won’t share them with you; don’t wish to spoil it for you.
Oh, but we also do finally learn about Rileighs previous trauma which caused her to quit the department with a cloud over her head! It was great to actually know what the prejudices were caused by.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sterling and Stone for this ARC of ‘Calling My Children Home’ by Lauren Street.

This is not my first book by this author and it absolutely won’t be my last. I was in suspense from the first page to the last. I loved the fast paced plot and couldn’t put it down.

Calling My Children Home is a fantastic suspense. This book has a fast paced plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

Another great book in the Bishop Smoky Mountain series. I believe this is my favorite so far. You finally find out what happened to Raleigh in Memphis while she works with the sheriff to find missing children. This book can totally stand alone but I recommend reading the others first so you are familiar with the characters. I look forward to more of this series..

Calling my Children Home reminds me of a book's take on a 48 hour crime search or crime scene investigators. As clues are revealed and the main characters find breakthroughs in their leads, more dark doors open. It is a quick read with an easy to follow plot. This is a story that builds on it self to ultimately showcase, what we either predicted all along or something entirely unheard of.

Rileigh is such an interesting character and her motivations for doing her work add a different angle to how you find her. This is a complex story with many dark themes and it is fascinating to take the journey through the mystery with Rileigh, helping you get to know her better in the process. Can’t wait to read more about her.

Calling My Children Home by Lauren Street is a fast paced thriller that keeps you on edge throughout. A five year old girl goes missing at a school carnival. All of the teachers were there and each child was paired up with a friend. They were to stay together and look out for each other. At the end of the carnival, the signal is given to return to the school. All of the kids are headed in to their classrooms when one little girl is by herself saying she can't find her partner. Chloe is missing. No one thinks much of it at first as they casually look around the booths, games, and rides. After quite awhile of looking, the sheriff is called. The girl has vanished and no one has seen her since she and her partner separated to participate in different games.

Rileigh Bishop is hired to help the Sheriff find the little girl. Rileigh was a police officer, but left under tragic circumstances. She told herself she would never put herself in that position again, but she missed the work. Rileigh liked helping people and her investigative skills were top notch. She agrees to help Mitch until the girl is found. As the days go by and the investigation is getting nowhere, another child goes missing. Mason is one of Georgia's 5 children and he was taken from Walmart when they were all there shopping. His older brother turned around and Mason was gone. Georgia is Rileigh's best friend and she's very close to the kids. She's heartbroken over Mason missing and will do anything to find him. She starts looking at video from Walmart and making a list of people that were at the carnival and Walmart.

As Rileigh and Mitch split the list of suspects to interview, they are on their own. Will they find the kidnapper in time to save the children? Will the kidnapper use force against Rileigh or Mitch? This book is crazy exciting and keeps you guessing until the very end! You won't believe the ending!! I rate Calling My Children Home 5 stars with my highest recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Sterling & Stone for the advanced copy of Calling My Children Home in exchange for a fair review. #CallingMyChildrenHome #bookreview

I have read a few others in the series and they kept me just as hooked as this one and it gets more intense as we delve more into Rileigh's past.

This was a twisty one! Calling My Children Home was a satisfying read that took a bit to get moving but once it does, hold on to your seat because things really move fast. I went into this blind, not realizing it was the fifth in a series. While I was a little lost at first, there was enough exposition about the location and characters that I didn't feel like I needed to have read the previous four books in order to enjoy this one. As I mentioned, there were plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged, and I appreciated the clever layering that kept me guessing. I felt like the main story line wrapped up well while also alluding to an ongoing mystery that ended on a cliffhanger, thus hooking me to want to read the next one in the series. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I ultimately gave this 3 stars but it's more like 3.5 stars. The author writes well, but the frequency and types of folksy sayings took me out of the story more than I would have liked. I do understand that they're supposed to reflect the language and feel of the Tennessee community where this story is set, but it felt a bit much at times. I also felt like the storyline with Rileigh's mother was not developed well, but that may be because I hadn't read the previous books (and I assume it will be explored further in the next book in the series).

Rileigh Bishop is doing PI work not because she enjoys it but because she has no other option. After quitting her job as a police officer because of a tragic shooting, Rileigh moved home to live with her mom who is living with dementia and to figure out what to do with her life. When a young girl disappears from a school carnival, she joins Sheriff Mitch in the desperate search. Because of the dire nature of the situation, Mitch decides to temporarily deputize Rileigh so she can do more investigating. When another child disappears, the FBI are brought in to help. Meanwhile, the investigation uncovers a pattern of missing children dating back to decades prior to this case. It's an exciting chase and an interesting journey as Rileigh and Mitch grow closer. I can't wait for the next book.

I received an advance review copy for free and this is my voluntary and honest review. I had high expectations because I’ve read every book in this series and I enjoyed them all. But I was a little disappointed. It felt like I had to struggle to get through the first five chapters but then everything went better. Suspense, a twist I didn't see coming, ... I'm glad I didn't give up reading.

Calling My Children Home is the fifth book in the 'The Bishop Smoky Mountain Thrillers' series.

Rileigh and Mitch join forces again to solve another case. This time, a 5-year-old girl disappeared while at a school carnival. While looking for her, a little boy goes missing. Rileigh works to find the missing children, not knowing she is in danger.

I enjoyed this book. I've only read book 1, so I was nervous about skipping to book 5. Although some connected elements exist, these books can be read as standalone stories. I didn't feel like I was missing anything, and there were no plot/development holes. This is another engaging and emotional book in the series that kept me reading. I could not put the book down because I had to know what happened next. The story is well-written, fast-paced, and flows well. The setting and characters are developed well. Lauren Street quickly transported me to the location where the story takes place. She makes sure all elements are aligned, even the language used by the characters.

There were secondary stories woven into the main plot -- unrealistic expectations of children, interracial relationships, challenges of motherhood, etc. The twists and turns were excellent! I also loved that the story was not predictable for me. The information may have been provided in a prior book, but in this book, we learn more about the details surrounding the unfortunate situation that ended Rileigh's career. I was surprised by the ending and the found perpetrator. Lauren again leaves us with a cliffhanger that makes you want to read the next book.

Thank you, Lauren Street, Sterling & Stone, and NetGalley, for the e-ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A retired detective now lives back home in the town she grew up in. At a school carnival, things go horribly wrong when a little girl suddenly goes missing. Ryleigh will have to put aside all her misgivings about being a cop and step in to help the town deputy to find the missing child

I quite enjoyed this book. It looks to possibly be part of a series? Not 100% sure but I will look into it. The plot was fast paced and had me going along for the ride. I did not see the ending coming.
The only thing that tooo me aback a bit was the mountain language or way of talking but that’s on me for not having much exposure to it. Other than that I enjoyed the characters. Ryleigh is a strong character and o would be interested to read more about her life and adventures
I give this book a 4/5
Very good and I look forward to checking out other work by this author

Rileigh and Mitch are back for another case. A little girl vanishes from a carnival at the school. They race to find the girl but then another child disappears. When the second disappears, Mitch calls in the FBI. Rileigh is learning about another child going missing fifty or sixty years ago and it might just have something to do with the missing children now. Mitch offers Rileigh a job as a deputy while looking for the kids.
I know this is very short but I can’t think of anything else to say without giving anything away. Mitch and Rileigh are perfect for each but I’m not sure if they will get together. Secrets. Fast paced. A real nail biter. Was shocked and then the ending. Can’t wait to see what happens next.

* Read and reviewed for Net galley *