I was really close to not finishing this one. I just couldn't connect for the first quarter of the book, and I thought about stopping reading numerous times. I have to say at this point that I've been a long-time reader of the author and the thought of DNF-ing really bothered me, so I kept reading. Whew, I'm glad I did. Things clicked into place. I was quickly engaged in the story and ripped through the last 3/4.

This was creepy, plausible (to a degree) and had numerous levels. I loved the emerging relationship between Van and Harry, each with own very-closeted secrets. My only complaint (and it's a small one), is that I missed the author's wit and humor, although, in the afterword, the line "I'd like to apologize to Finland" made me laugh out loud.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being given freely.

I already loved Jess Lourey before starting The Reaping, so I was very excited for her latest book. It did not disappoint! I loved Steinbeck and Reed in The Taken Ones and now we get to learn more about Steinbeck.
Forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck and BCA agent Van Reed are running out of time to solve a cold case murder and catch the killer who’s returned to kidnap the town of Alku’s children. This book is DARK. It’s creepy and horrifying and you’ll be thinking about it long after you finish it. The last line of the book is chilling.

I can’t wait for the next Steinbeck and Reed novel!

After 25 years, our detectives are taking a hard look at a cold case in Alku, a small town steeped with tradition and secrets. There is nothing that this town wouldn't do to protect their own.

Evangeline (Van) and Harry, who have secrets of their own, work together on their second case to solve the mysteries of Alku. As they begin to unravel the secrets, the children of Alku begin to disappear.


This is the 2nd book following Van and Harry. I haven't read the first but I don't think it's entirely necessary to fully understand this story alone. However, to fully understand the motivations of the detectives it may be beneficial.

The atmospheric setting, the creepy traditions, and the overall murder mystery was fantastic. This is more medium paced but I was hooked from the reading the blurb. I thoroughly enjoyed this advanced reading copy and thank Netgalley and Jess Lourey to read and review The Reaping.

Gossip dies when it hits a wise person's ears. (I love that!)

I very much enjoyed Ms. Lourey's book The Quarry Girls​, so I was eager to read The Reaping!

It took me a couple of chapters to connect with the main characters, as I hadn't read The Taken Ones ... and then I was totally entertained as I read how quirky Evangeline "Van" Reed and Harry Steinbeck were. She's messy and he's a neatnik. She throws on any clothes she is able to easily grab from furniture or the floor. His clothes must be immaculate, with perfectly straight creases in his trousers. She inhales unhealthy food when she eats. He picks at his healthy meals. She's more of a "Live and let live" person and he frets over EVERYTHING. (Think Felix and Oscar from The Odd Couple.)

I LOVED the very unique storyline, as well as the descriptions of the creepy people in Alku. Even the town, itself, was creepy!! I also loved the touch of the supernatural the book had.

I was not overly fond of a couple of things, however. There is probably an official name for this, but I disliked reading how torn up Harry was over an event that happened in his past. It was repeatedly mentioned but wasn't explained until the end of the book. And after all that buildup; it was a wee bit of a letdown. And then there was the big cliffhanger at the end of the book. If a reader has enjoyed a book, he or she is going to read the next book in the series. Trust me on that. Cliffhangers are just annoying.

For the most part, The Reaping was a fascinating story, so feel free to take my complaints with a grain of salt. You may not be bothered by the things I mentioned at all.

Many thanks to both #ThomasAndMercer and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Reaping. This book is two in the #SteinbeckAndReed series and the expected publication date is​ September 3, 2024.
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This book🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻
This is the book #2 for the Steinbeck and Reed series (The Taken Ones #1, which by the way, was my very first #gifted finished copy I received), and it was simply FANTASTIC!
I really loved the characters, how they are captivating and how they work so well together.
It was suspenseful, I had some creepy vibes while reading it, it had some cliffhanger moments, and the history behind Reed’s traumatic past, also gave me the chills.
Now it will be a torture to wait for more, hopefully it will come soon!

I highly recommend this book!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for this ARC.

Out on 09/03/2024

The second installment in this series is as good as the first. This book is perfectly creepy - from the town of Alku, the people, and the “nursing home for serial killers” - and gave me faint 80s horror/mystery vibes. Harry and Van are official partners on a gruesome cold case that takes them back to Harry’s past. This book is told from Harry’s point of view, but from the epilogue it looks like there will be a book three from Van’s point of view (fingers crossed).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

This was the first book I had read by this author and I really enjoyed it. It was creepy and puzzling and had a nice, unexpected twist at the end that caught me unawares. Evangeline and Harry were both fleshed out characters, flaws included, which helped to make them relatable. The epilogue really got me as it very clearly set up another story that I am dying to read but is not written yet. Hopefully soon!

Jess Lourey has officially become one of my favorite authors. Not only did I drop the book I was reading once I downloaded “The Reaping” but I may or may not have ignored my husband for the last two days after work just to devour this book. I could’ve did it in one sitting if I didn’t have a job.. Unfortunate.

The Reaping has everything I love: Suspense. Paranormal aspects. Murder. Crazy people. Yup, if you love small towns with weird people, you’ll love this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw this on NetGalley, I was so excited to read this! I loved The Taken ones and absolutely could not wait to read it! However, this story isn’t even close to as exciting as that one. The Reaping is slow and took forever to get somewhere. Unfortunately, I just didn’t love it.

This is the second book in the Steinbeck and Reed series. I do think it would be best to read the first one first.

I’d like to thank Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley and Jess Lourey for the opportunity. All opinions are my own, publication date September, 3, 2024
3 ⭐️

WHAT IN THE WORLD. Just what in the world! Ok, this did not disappoint.

One of the best decisions I've made was taking this book despite my long TBR list. It's creepy, dark and ominous with a host of explosive surprises. That kind of story where you thought that was it until it's not and you never see it coming until it's right there in all its glory. I like how the author weaves a disturbing tale about tradition, guilt, forgiveness and mental health issues, ethics and still maintain some decorum. How ever morbid the scene, it was described appropriately, without any accompanying hint of enjoyment, whatsoever. I say this because there are stories that are artfully dark and then there are those that make you think twice if the writer relished the torture.

I love Harry and Van. Their distinct personalities compliment each other and adds to the enjoyment of the story. There's a lot of character development going on and there was one thing that absolutely stuck with me throughout the entire story. It was when Van's amoral free spirit clashed with Harry's by the book ethics. It just, it's something to think about on a personal as well as on a global level. What would you be willing to do to get to Point B? Especially when time is of the essence and it's one person versus the majority.

Rooting for this series, I can not wait for the next one!

Took me a while to get into the book. But after 10 chapters I was gripped. It gave the vibe of a Netflix limited series mystery/thriller series mixed with true detective. I really enjoyed the friendship of the detectives and the different mysteries throughout. I enjoyed the story and the twist was definitely unexpected. 4-star read for me as it’s not my usual genre but I really enjoyed.

If there are no fans of Jess Lourey in the world, that must mean I have died because there is no one who loves her or her books more that I do. Just when I think that there is no way Jess can write one more book I will be hooked on, she does it. Can't wait for the next!

spooky, creepy vibes for sure!!!!! really liked this thriller quite a lot. it gave me chills at certain points. 4/5 stars

When I read this book, I did not realise that it was part of a series, but the author makes that a non-issue. Though I do have a hankering now to read the first one.

Harry Steinbeck and Van Reed are partners who investigate cold cases for the BCA. Each has their own secrets and troubled pasts, and each is very different from the other, though that only works for their benefit as they prop each other up without competing. They are assigned to a cold case where a family of four were killed in the 90's after a man was found killed in the same way one town over. Unfortunately, the crime from the 90's was already blamed on someone, and that someone is imprisoned in that same town. So what exactly is going on there?

This is a dark and twisty tale that leads our two main characters into a place that they have never seen the like before, which could result in the death of innocence. Highly recommended, now if you excuse me I am going to go find the first book.

Even though I hadn't read Jess Lourey's first Steinbeck & Reed thriller, I easily connected with "The Reaping" through two of the primary characters: Rannie, the odd boy who becomes a "man who never moved out of his parents' house", and Harry Steinbeck, whose personal demons challenge his professionalism in this case. Their personal storylines add a unique layer to a book that is already deliciously dark, a little creepy, and suspenseful, with a final twist that I found jarring - until I thought back and realized the bread crumbs were in plain sight. Lourey also creates an interesting, authentic setting thanks to the research she explains in her Author's Note, and she leaves us with a cliffhanger that has me itching to read the next book in the series.

From the moment I started reading, I was completely hooked. The story is incredibly gripping and full of suspense. The writing style is so descriptive and immersive, making it easy to visualize each scene and feel the tension building, the descriptions of the town was so so good, gave it a proper eerie feeling.

The characters in this book are so well-crafted and multidimensional. I found myself becoming invested in their journeys and couldn’t wait to see how everything would unfold. The book has major creepy vibes, in a good way! - especially the descriptions of the people in Alku. And the town of Alku itself is full of secrets and mystery.

One of the things I loved most about The Reaping is the way it keeps you guessing. Just when you think you have it all figured out, there’s some unexpected twists and turns that leave you questioning everything. I honestly thought I had it all figured out, I thought I was well smart and I was dead wrong😂

Overall, The Reaping is a masterfully crafted thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspenseful and thought-provoking reads.

I've been waiting forever for this book! I loved The Taken Ones, which introduced us to Steinbeck and Reed for the first time. I wish I could say that I loved this book just as much, but I had a really hard time connecting with the story at times and the pacing was slower than I preferred. It was still enjoyable to read. I would definitely give it 5 stars for creep factor. These people were crazy! It was fun to have Van and Harry back together and to learn more about Harry and his past. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series and can't wait to find out more about that cliffhanger of an ending.

Thank you to the author, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

Another amazing book by Jess Lourey. Admittedly, I'm biased. After reading her murder by month series, The Quarry Girls, Litani Bloodline and Unspeakable Things - I'd have a hard time giving any of her books less than 5 stars. I love that she is writing the Steinbeck and Reed series so we know there will be more to come for the characters, although the wait time in between books is never fun ;). If I had any self control, I would wait until the whole series was out to binge read the whole thing - but self control is not my strong suit when it comes to books. The Reaping was a little different than what I was expecting as it wasn't quite as "relatable" (for lack of a better word). Part way through the book, I was having mixed feelings. By the end, those feelings were resolved and everything came together for the story. Side note: the mentioning of the old Minnesota Institute for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind in the author's notes will likely stick with me for a long time because I have a child who attends school at the current Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf and it is surreal/emotional to think about the history of that area.

I’ve been a big fan of Jess Lourey’s writing since reading The Quarry Girls, and bingeing on Litani, Unspeakable Things and Bloodline. Few authors write small town secrets as well.

I enjoyed The Taken Ones, (Steinbeck and Read Book 1), but I didn’t get the best out of it, coincidentally I was listening to an unrelated male and female investigative duo thriller at the same time and got both a bit muddled together. I was eager to read The Reaping.

Harry Steinbeck and Evangeline ‘Van’ Read are specialist cold case agents, brought in when recent crimes have echoes from the past.

There are plenty of small town secrets in Alku, a remote Minnesota town rich in the traditions of its Finnish settlers. Crimes committed twenty years ago are being copycatted, while the original perpetrator sits infirm in a prison cell.

Steinbeck and Read are my favourite thing about the book. The story is rather sprawling and takes a good while for the strands to start to come together. There are quite a few characters too. I should have kept a list.

It alls comes together in the end but I can’t say it was a favourite.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer

I love Jess Lourey’s books especially being a native Minnesotan. I didn’t like parts of the plot for this one. The writing is spectacular and draws me immediately, keeping me wanting more.