I feel like I can't properly rate this since I didn't realize it was part of a series. I haven't read the first one and if I had I think some things would've clicked in place better. It was a good book with great suspense but it took awhile for the suspense to build. But I want to read the first so I can better evaluate. I liked the partnership of Harry and Van. Polar opposites but they both have their secrets and somehow gravitate to each other. I really warmed to the kids in this story. You just want to protect them.
It wasn't predictable which I appreciate and the ending was great. Nice cliffhanger.

I didn't realize this was a sequel and I hadn't read the first book. I wonder if I might have enjoyed it more if I had. 3 stars.

The Second book in the series we follow forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck and agent Van Reed that are a team trying catch a kidnapper who has returned to Alku, Minnesota. Twenty-five years earlier, a family was murdered there and now kids in Alku start to disappear. TAs they are trying to find the truth to what happened, Harry has to face memories of his sister being taken. This has scary elements along with suspense and mystery. I love small town settings.

I hope the series continues as I enjoyed both books.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Reaping by Jess Lourey.

I know that I enjoyed the first book of this series, but I just couldn't get into this one. It could be a me problem, but there was just way too much going on, and it hedged on the side of supernatural, which just isn't my thing. The ratings are great though, so I believe that it was an enjoyable book, just not for me.

In The Reaping by Jess Lourey, forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck and agent Van Reed join forces to catch a kidnapper who has returned to the quiet, mysterious town of Alku, Minnesota. Twenty-five years earlier, a family was murdered there, but no one was ever caught. Now, as they investigate this old case, kids in Alku start to disappear. To find the truth, Harry has to face painful memories of his own sister being taken. This scary, suspenseful story explores the dark secrets hidden in a small, creepy town.

I really enjoyed the second installment of the Steinbeck and Reed story especially as readers were able to learn more about Harry.

I hope Harry and Van continue to work together in the future! Lourey's books can always be trusted to be engaging and thrilling from beginning to end!

This is my seventh book by this author so to say I am a fan is a given. This book was great.

As you follow Steinbeck and Reed through a tough case that involves children in a small Minnesota town you will be holding your breath. Cringing as the pieces start falling into place. It makes you feel like you are in the dark and dreary woods. Along the wet streets. In the motel as they are trying to get some rest. These two stop at nothing to get at the truth. To solve a delicate and very hard case. Starting with a cold case they start with a home for serial killers. For old and what appears to be helpless serial killers.

When Harry and Van start looking into the things that are happening in Alku, MN they are in for a big discovery. More than just the cold case they are there to investigate. More than one man's brutal murder. They visit the nursing home where the serial killers are kept and get to know a few of the people running the place. Employees. The people in this small town are strange. They have a way of doing things that may not be exactly friendly for strangers. Or residents in some cases.

Seems Harry and Van care more about the children of this town than their own parents at times. Harry is dealing with a lot of guilt over his sister's abduction years ago. Van is still coming to terms with what she endured at the hands of a cult leader in a commune. Each has their problems but they are always there for each other too. When the children start disappearing things start to fall into place for these two detectives. They have info that will help wrap things up but is it as they thought. Could it be something else or someone else.... I did not figure this one out. I thought it was one person but I was WRONG... That doesn't happen a lot.

Thank you #NetGalley, #thomas&mercer for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars.

I loved the first book in the series and was super excited for this one - it did not disappoint! A little slower paced in the beginning but definitely delivered.

I really enjoyed this spooky, missing persons read. This book is technically second in a series, and it can be read as a standalone, but given how good it was, I would definitely read the first one before diving into this one. Partners Harry and Evangeline have good chemistry and each has an interesting backstory and their inner demons.

This story takes place in a creepy, isolated town where something isn't right... and people go missing. The community is descended from Finnish folk and live a restricted life with limited access to internet, electronics and the outside world. I really liked the folklore element, with this idea of vampires, witches and monsters. There's also a supernatural element as Evangeline has sorts of 'visions'.

To add, there's the secondary mystery of Harry's missing sister, an unsolved case from many years before, and Harry's continual hunt to find her or what happened to her. The book itself did a great job of misleading the reader so that the end was very surprising. I know I was shocked.

A solid thriller read- I will definitely be reading the next book in the series!

After reading The Taken Ones, I was thrilled to get my hands on The Reaping. While this can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the first book in the series. Once again, Jess has reminded me why I love her books.

This book was… strange. That’s the best way I can put it. The characters were strange, the case was strange, the town was strange… it was all just strange. This was book two in the series and definitely stood on it’s own. This was unique, for sure. Ultimately, I enjoyed the first book more and found this one to be just… strange.

This is an excellent story that proves how much weight there is for a series in these characters. Atmospheric, twisty, surprising, and a great exploration of the legacy of trauma.

This book exceeded all my expectations. Initially, I was hesitant to pick it up because it’s written in third-person POV, while the first book was in first-person POV. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the shift, but I’m so glad I gave it a chance. This installment is far more intense than the first, keeping me guessing the entire time as I tried to figure out who the villain was. Both main characters were fantastic, and I found Henry’s backstory—especially the truth about what happened to his sister—absolutely captivating. That ending left me speechless; I’m practically on my knees, eagerly waiting for Jess Lourey to release book three. I highly recommend this—go read it! .

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the Arc . This Arc was provided in exchange for my honest review.

DNF

I absolutely loved the first book of this series, The Taken Ones (5 stars!!). This one started really slow and I just couldn't get into the story. I'm a huge, huge, huge fan of this author's thrillers and I will absolutely look forward to her next one!

🗣 Thank you to netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this book via gifted eARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

After thoroughly enjoying the first book in this series, I was excited to get my hands on book two. This time we get Harry’s perspective, told in third-person, as he and Van head to Northeast Minnesota to work a brutal murder which may be connected to a serial killer who’s been incapacitated and locked up for years.

Once there, they learn the town of Alku is hiding far more than just old world rituals. As they work to uncover the truth behind not only the murder(s) but also the town, Harry also grapples with his past haunting him and the guilt he feels for his sister’s disappearance.

Louery’s continual great development of side characters along with a unique plot makes this book hard to put down. As with book one, I also loved seeing Harry and Van work together, their personalities complementing each other in the way all great crime duos do.

The only downside to being a fan of this series is the waiting for each new book to come out.

If Jess Lourey writes it, I'm reading it. Her books rooted in Minnesota are always so captivating and unique. No one can write a chilling mystery quite like her. I liked this book, but it wasn't my favorite. I failed to connect with the plot and characters through a majority of it. I just felt like I needed something extra to ignite it a little in the middle.

I loved The Taken Ones so much, that I could not wait to get my hands on The Reaping. And it did not disappoint.

Alku is a small town in Minnesota populated by 7 families fleeing persecution in Finland centuries ago. Missing children and grisly murders going back over 20 years with corpses' heads that are absolutely obliterated. Are these crimes connected? Can Van and Harry and their team figure everything, despite mountains of obstacles in their way?

This book was VANtastic! I honestly loved everything about it - the pacing, the characters, their backstories, their relationships. Everything struck a wonderful balance that kept me turning pages late into the night. While I did find Harry to be somewhat rigid and stiff at times, this book introducing his backstory made me understand A LOT and I thought he was a very well-written character. I love this series, was very excited to get more of Harry's perspective/story this time and I cannot wait to see what is next for Van and Harry.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

*The Reaping* by Jess Lourey is a chilling, suspenseful thriller that delves into dark secrets and haunting pasts. When a recent murder is linked to the unsolved massacre of a family in Alku, Minnesota, FBI agents Harry Steinbeck and Evangeline Reed are pulled into an increasingly sinister investigation. As more children go missing and the case turns darker, Harry must confront his own traumatic past to uncover the truth. Lourey weaves tension, mystery, and psychological depth into a gripping story that keeps readers on edge until the final twist.

Having loved the first book in the Steinbeck and Reed series, I couldn’t wait to dive into book two. Although I usually avoid series, this one is an exception. Harry Steinbeck and Van Reed are back with another ominous case which absolutely held my attention.

The overall plot is captivating with shades of creepy vibes. The town of Alku is unsettling Everyone seems to be hiding secrets, adding layers of mystery and tension to the story. While Harry and Van are trying to solve the mystery of children disappearing, they also feel targeted and are struggling with secrets from their own past.

To me, the character development wasn’t as strong as in the first book but I still enjoyed this read. I highly recommend reading the first book before this one to get a better understanding of the characters. Overall, this is another great book in the series. The ending was left open for a book three, and when it happens, I will be there for it.

Jess Lourey has this way of writing about a subject without actually saying the words out loud. She writes of a time before there was social media and every one had access to everyone's business on the internet. 1998 was close to that turning point. I think it's easier to solve crimes today than it was then. That's lucky for Agent Steinbeck!

I enjoy the interactions between the two agents, which is probably why I continue to read their series. This book leaves plenty to the imagination while still taking the reading on a complete journey.

Loved it and would give the book 4.5 stars. Love Van and Harry's chemistry together. Alku is one of the creepiest places and the inhabitants are even creepier. Is anyone living there "normal?" The gene pool is shrinking and it doesn't seem like the people branch out when marrying and having children. Strange doesn't even describe the people. Their rituals and beliefs are scary. Alku is one place I wouldn't want to get a flat tire​, with all the strange, unexplained murders that happen there. ​Who would want to work at a serial killer nursing home? Plus, it was actually next to the school!!! Everything about that town was wrong. ​ From the start I was completely wrong who was behind the killings. With the people of Alku there were ​w​ay too many suspects, the list was extremely long. ​There were so many twists and turns, the story kept me guessing until the end. The poor children. Do their parents really love them? Is family everything? In this book we got to know Harry Steinbeck a bit more and we met his mother. Myrna Steinbeck is something else. Growing up in that house was not sunshine and roses. It seemed like Myrna hated her daughter. Poor Caroline. I really want to know what happened to her. Van definitely has a hunch who might be behind the disappearance. ​

Definitely recommend the book. This was a great mystery/thriller. Loved the characters, writing style and story. I can't wait to find out what's next for Van and Harry. I really hope Van is going to help with the mystery of Caroline's disappearance. The next book can't come fast enough. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

​I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas & Mercer through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own