2.75-3 stars

Buried Road by Katie Tallo tells the story of thirteen year-old Bly and her mother Gus (Augusta), who head out to find Howard, Gus's partner and Bly's father figure, who has been missing for three years. His camper has recently been found and there are clues as to what happened all those years ago. As Gus and Bly head off to Prince Edward County to see where Howard and his camper were found, they come across new evidence that the police investigators missed in their original search for clues. This book is the third in a series, but can be read as a stand alone. It is entirely told from the POV of thirteen year-old Bly. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but the author did a good job of tying up all the characters storylines. There is also a lot of profanity (if you are opposed to that). I did feel like mother, Gus, was quite unlikeable. She is bitter and shows little concern for her thirteen year-old daughter's safety, putting her in situations that one would never want a young teen to be in. I did appreciate that the title Buried Road was explained by our narrator. I thought this book read mostly like a YA and having read it not knowing before that it was the third in a series, I don't know that I am that invested to go back and read the other two. But I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a book with a YA feel (but with lots of swearing) and a slight mystery.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

To be honest, I requested this book largely because the cover is gorgeous. I was not aware that it is part of a series, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything so I think it's a great stand alone. It was fast paced, kept my attention. I thought it had decent twists, and I didn't anticipate the ending at all (I still don't know how I feel about it though...). Overall, the book was good enough that I'll likely check out the ones before it in the series.

Solid three stars. This book was good. I didn’t realize it was part of a series, but I didn’t feel lost having not read the first two books. Everything wrapped up well in the end, I just found the middle starting to go on a bit too long and lacking some suspense.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic copy of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Three years ago, Augusta Monet’s partner, Howard, disappeared without a trace while investigating a news story. Everyone, even Howard’s parents, had given up hope that Howard would be found. But Gus and her preteen daughter, Bly, struggle for closure and won’t give up hope that Howard will be found alive. When Howard’s parents decide to finally hold a funeral for their son, even though a body was never recovered, Gus and Bly find themselves returning to the small town where Howard went missing. While there, Gus realizes it is the perfect oppourtunity to investigate what really happened to Howard all those years ago. But the truth is far more dangerous than Gus could’ve expected, putting both her and Bly’s life in danger.
Katie Tallo, author of “Poison Lillies”, is a Canadian born writer, and she brings the small community in Prince Edward County to the pages with her new novel, “Buried Road”.
Twelve-year-old Bly is the narrator for “Road”, as she is thrust into her mother’s investigation, just as desperate for answers to find the only father she has ever known. The naive protagonist is charming and thoughtful but she is also old enough to be observant and brave. It is easy to read Bly’s story and somehow forget that she is a young girl but also to be absurdly aware of her age at the same time. Tallo has created a powerful mother-daughter relationship built on trust and love, making it easy for readers to develop a quick rapport with both Bly and Gus.
“Buried Road” is a tale of a corrupt police force, a rich community member desperate for power and two mothers who aspire for the same thing- that their children have everything they could ever need. There is no shortage of drama in Tallo’s new novel and every twist and turn managed to converge in a seamless way, bringing the novel to its end with an edge-of-your-seat conclusion.
I am always proud to support Canadian authors and they get bonus points for including Canadian settings and environments. I loved the summer vibes brought on by the small cottage town and the perseverance and dedication displayed by both Gus and Bly had me cheering. I was introduced to Tallo with her second novel, “Poison Lillies”, so being asked to read this one was a no-brainer, and I am very glad I did. I can’t wait to see what Tallo does next.

I'm new to Katie Tallo but a quick fan. To be honest, I missed this title being billed as a follow-up to earlier titles Dark August and Poison Lillies, but I dropped into this story with no issues and was quickly captivated by it. Somewhere between a slow burn (beginning) and fast-paced (second half), that sums up my ride with this title. I started off intrigued and read a few chapters here, a few chapters there--but then it became the stay-up-till-I-finish-just-one-more-chapter (okay, I'm just going to finish the book) that we readers are all too familiar with. Despite not needing to read the prior books to be engrossed in these characters' lives, I do plan to read them as I really enjoyed the suspense of being in their universe and want to know more about their backstory.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perinnial for the opportunity to preview this title in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper for providing me with an eARC of Buried Road in exchange for my honest review!

This thriller keeps me seated via the sincere heart of Bly and Gus's mother-daughter dynamic as they pursue their determined search for Howard, a loved one who had gone missing three years ago. It's interesting, because I actually haven't read the first two books that preceded this novel, but that didn't pose a problem. Buried Road carries out an effective job at plunging me into its tale without requiring me to know what had happened in the other books. I do want to check them out sometime, though, because I've green invested in this world and I'd be compelled to learn more about Gus's past. The grit and resourcefulness that she and Bly summon up to execute their mission is endearing to the reader, pulling us through a mystery that's paced out quite smoothly. I wouldn't say this is one of the most twisty-turny mysteries I've ever read, but it's still engaging enough to keep us wondering what will unfold next in this tale about the dark and corrupt underbellies that can fester within local and outwardly pleasant communities, the intricate and emotional nuances of family relationships, and the morally dubious lengths that people will go to in order to save those they love.

Overall, I'm officially rating Buried Road four out of five stars. I'll add Dark August and Poison Lilies to my TBR pile.

This starts as a slow burn, but the book's second half takes off and is high-stakes, suspenseful, and twisty. Although a few of the twists were surprising, there was one I was utterly shocked by! And by the last 25%, I just could not put this down. The character development is well done, and the mother/daughter dynamic at the center of the story is interesting.

Buries Road was one of the only books I did not finish in 2024 and not for lack of trying. I am a book a day reader and I attempted this over the course of 2 weeks and just could not connect with any of the characters.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for an arc for my honest feedback.

Wow! I absolutely loved this book, it was a slow burn mystery that kept my interest throughout the whole book. I loved all the characters, they were well developed. Gus is the type of woman who gets things done and doesn't stop until she gets the answers she needs. The way Bly grew and developed through the book was amazing.
I did not realize that this book is part of a series. I ordered the first two as soon as I found out.

Buried Road is a gripping psychological thriller with twists that will keep you hooked. Tallo’s sharp writing and layered characters make this a thrilling and emotional ride.

Buried Road is exactly what I want from an investigative mystery thriller.
Bly & her mother, Gus, were an incredible leading duo. Reading the story from Bly made for a vulnerable and blunt narrative. They were strong and captivating, flawed and spunky, and easy to root for. I was hooked from the beginning and hoping with all my heart that they will find Howard. Every other character was introduced with purpose. I appreciate that as well.

While the characters were my favorite part, I could picture this small town, the campsites, the dirt roads, the beach, the vineyards, farmhouses, and the camper. I was entranced. I was hooked. I zipped through this book and highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley & Harper Paperbacks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While I am grateful for the opportunity to read and review this book, it was ultimately not for me. The beginning had me right away and I was itching to know what happened to Howard but Gus's personality quickly started grating on me. She is a pendulum of abrasiveness and aggression quickly swinging to defeated and spineless. The mother-daughter dynamic was also uncomfortable and unlikable.

Multiple plots leaking into each other at a painstakingly slow pace made me feel uninterested and ready to move on.

Buried Road is a gripping thriller that had me hooked from the start. The story follows Gus and daughter, Bly, as they set out to uncover the truth behind Howard’s disappearance three years ago. Their journey is filled with suspense and unexpected twists. Tallo’s writing brings the characters to life, making you feel every emotion they experience. The plot is fast-paced and keeps you guessing until the very end. If thrillers are your thing, this is definitely worth a read!

First off, I loved the cover and absolutely had to request it. This was a great story with lots of twists and turns and very well written characters. However, while this is marketed as an "edge-of-your-seat thriller", this is definitely more of a slow burn.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this story! The characters were well fleshed and it wasn't as easy guess what would happen next.

Thanks to Netgalley, Harper Perennial and Paperback, and Katie Tallo for the ARC of Buried Road!

I really enjoyed getting to know the character of this book. The twists and turn made it one that kept me guess. With a bit of true crime essence.

I enjoyed this book. I asked to read the book by looking at the cover alone. This book follows Gus and Bly through Prince Edward County to follow the footsteps of their friend, Howard. Each character is relateable with their own weaknesses and strengths. The book kept me guess on what would happen next.

Katie Tallo's Buried Road is the third book in a series. I didn't find that out until I was midway reading because I felt like there were certain parts that I was missing out on. It wasn't completely jarring, but that was my fault for not realizing it sooner. Though it is not required to read the first two books, I highly recommend doing so. 

The story follows Bly Monet and her mother, Gus, as they try to uncover the truth behind the disappearance behind Howard that happened three years prior. It's told through thirteen year old Bly's perspective, giving you an interesting point of view of a young teenagers battle of trauma and the growth that she is forced into. 

What I truly enjoyed was getting more insight on Prince Edward Island. I am a huge fan of the podcast Canadian True Crime, and have listened to countless horrific tales from PEI, that having the chance to read a novel based in that count was great. 

The atmosphere that Katie blends into the story helps fortify the tension behind each twist and turn...that is, once you get there. The first half of the book was a struggle to get into. It was slow and took time to get to the point. I recommend pushing through because it's worth it. 

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for an advance copy of this book. (sorry it took so long to post my review).

From the perspective of a precocious child, Buried Road was a thrilling tale of a mother and daughter’s quest to find answers in the disappearance of a loved one. I loved reading this book especially from the perspective of Bly. It’s a must read for lovers of domestic, small town thrillers and mystery. I will be reading from this author again!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for a copy of this book it was really good and I would rate it 3/5 stars!