This was the first book I had read in the Rileigh Bishop series, and I enjoyed it enough to search for the earlier books. The characters were well developed and the surprises in the plot kept my curiosity level up.

This one was a first book in the series that I read, so I read it as a stand alone. And it is book six in the series?! Wow!
It was time well spent, and murder mysterie to solve

The past never dies; it only reloads.

Deputy Rileigh Bishop is no stranger to the darkness. For nearly 25 years after her sister’s disappearance, she’s been haunted by unsettling postcards, each marked with a smiley face. The latest one contains a single Home. Is it a hint… or a warning?

When a bullet strikes her car and sends her careening into a river, Rileigh barely escapes with her life.

Convinced that her sister’s disappearance, the postcards, and the assassination attempt are tied together, Rileigh and Mitch tear into cold cases, exposing bones that were better left buried.

Suicides that were murders.

The lies of people she trusted.

And a secret that will unravel everything.

But as Rileigh and Mitch dig deeper, they realize something

Rileigh isn’t the only target.

Someone close to her is in grave danger.

And the only way to save them is to unearth the past.
This was my first and certainly not last book by Lauren Street. Holy thrillers!! I was hooked from the beginning and I cannot believe that I devoured the whole book in one sitting. Rileigh is strong and fierce. The characters were relatable and likable. The writing was superb. Will recommend to others.

Rileigh was emotionally distraught concerning the secrets they had unraveled, her head was spinning with the depraved data. But yet there was a glimmer of hope at the bend in the road. This book would have you glued to the edge of your seats, hands gripped tightly on the handles. It was intensely intriguing, exciting, and gripping at the same time, not to be ignored, it was darn engaging and very captivating.

I read this book as a standalone although it is #6 in the series. It was great and left me wanting to go back and read the rest of the series.

The characters were likable from the beginning. I really enjoyed Riliegh, one of the main characters. I felt so sad for all she went through both before and during this book, but I also admired the way she persevered to get to the bottom of her cases. I also really enjoyed Mitch and how he was romantically interested in Riliegh, but could also put his feelings aside to assist her through tough times without making her feel pressured. I can’t wait to see how their relationship, romantic or not, evolves through the series.

The mystery and suspense of the book were fast paced and kept me engaged to the very end. The story came to a satisfying conclusion, but also keeps the reader anticipating the next installment of the series. Well done!

Thank you to Sterling & Stone and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy.

Too Far Gone by Lauren Street
Bishop Smoke Mountain Thriller #6

Having read the first book in this series and really liking it, I realized that I had missed four books when I saw book six was available. Unsure whether I would be able to pick up the thread…I began to read. I ended up skipping around a bit and did not read every word but did catch up with Rileigh, her family, Mitch, and also found out what happened to Jillian – Rileigh’s sister - who disappeared over two decades ago on the night before she was to marry her high school sweetheart.

What I liked:
* Being able to catch up fairly easily with the story line
* Finding out that Rileigh has recently joined the sheriff’s department
* Wondering at what point in the series Mitch and Rileigh are most likely to act on the chemistry between them
* Hearing more of the Bishop family’s backstory – what a dysfunctional unit they continue to be
* The mystery of who was killing off or trying to kill off people in this book
* That there was a hopeful ending to the story even though most of it was dark and grim
* Contemplating ways to dispose of Aunt Daisy – glad I don’t have an Aunt Daisy to contend with
* Hoping that Rileigh won’t have too many more dark grim days ahead of her and will be able to avoid physical trauma in the next book

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about the dark topics of abuse, human trafficking, having to perform acts under duress, the mental impact of surviving such situations, and how or if people come out “okay” on the other side
* Wondering if I had read the four missed books I would have been more invested in this one

Did I like this book? I think so
Would I read more in this series? Maybe

Thank you to NetGalley and Sterling & Stone for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

Deputy Rileigh Bishop has been receiving post cards with smiley faces for 25 years , ever since the
disappearance of her sister- the latest is different it just says 'home' ...... why is it different ?
As she travels the dangerous roads into work a bullet is fired into the cab of her vehicle ,
sending her careering into a ravine - Who shot at her ,? why ? , is it connected to her sister's case ?
Convinced ther is a connection to her sister , Rileigh and her partner Mitch delve into cold cases -
secrets start to be revealed , secrets that people will do anything to keep just that - secret .
As they continue to delve into the cases they come to realise that its not just Rileigh who is in a
killer's sights , someone much closer to home might be next .
Its was wonderful to be able to see see a resolution to the case of Rileigh's missing sister .

The book is full of twists and turns , full of secrets and deceit , murder and abuse - a real
page turner from the first page to the last
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

As someone who has only read the first book in the series going into this book, I enjoyed this. I would recommend reading the rest of the books in the series but not reading them didn't hinder my understanding of the story in this one. The ending is good and the pacing and suspense is well done. I would recommend this if you enjoy thrillers. Special Thank You to Lauren Street, Sterling and Stone and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another great book in this series. In this one we get to find out what really happened to Rileigh’s sister. And of course their is a murder mystery to solve

Riley has been receiving strange postcards mark with smiley faces for the last 25 years, ever since her sister's disappearance. The most recent one only had one word. Home. Riley's car is struck by a bullet and it sends her car crashing into the river and Riley barely survives. She becomes convinced that the postcards, her sister's disappearance and the attempt to kill her are all connected. This story kept my attention, was easy to read and follow along and had a plot twist that I didn't expect. Would definitely recommend!

A suspenseful read. Do you want to be at the edge of your seat? Go pick up this book! Now I have to go finish the rest of the books in the series!!

I didn’t realize this was book 6 in the series. It was easy to follow along but did feel some parts were missing which could be from not reading the first 5 books. Overall, I enjoyed Unix book. The twist was unexpected. 4/5 stars & would recommend

Despite not realizing it was part of a series, I found this book enjoyable, though some storylines felt missing. Still, it held my attention with its twisty plot and was an easy read overall, making it worth recommending.

This was a gripping story filled with mystery and suspense, featuring Rileigh Bishop, an army vet and cop, who returns home to her family's secrets. Despite her belief that her sister is dead, annual postcards hint at a different truth. As Rileigh investigates, danger escalates, leading to shocking revelations and a thrilling climax.

Rileigh's character was compelling, and I found myself invested in her journey. The dynamic between her and Sheriff Mitch added depth, and the pacing kept me engaged, especially towards the end. Overall, I'd happily pick up another book by this author.

Too Far Gone by Lauren Street is book 6 in the Bishop Smokey Mountain series, and like someone completely unaware with anything around themselves, this is where I picked up and started reading! Thank God, this book is one that the reader is able to read as a standalone, because I would be completely lost otherwise! Too Far Gone is one that instantly grabs hold of the reader, immersing the reader in a smorgasbord emotions, and leaving you unsure of just what the correct feeling should be. There are parts where you want to cheer the main female character on, then there are parts where you want to cry because of what she and some of her family and friends have gone through. Ms. Street is one of those special authors that is able to bring you from one extreme to the other without really trying it seems, and is a great pleasure to read. Just be sure to have plenty of tissues with you, when you have her book open as you will surely need them.

📚 PUBLICATION MONTH BOOK REVIEW 📚

Too Far Gone
By Lauren Street
Publication Date: April 9, 2024
Publisher: Sterling & Stone

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

📚MY REVIEW:

This is my third read by Lauren Street (well, the first two were books she co-authored with Nolon King), and it's safe to say she is an author I will ALWAYS read.

This book pulled me in immediately and the storyline kept me intrigued and captivated until its riveting conclusion! The story was fast-paced, the plot was well-written, and I never felt like I knew what was coming next.

This was a mysterious police thriller set in a small town, centered around missing persons and LOTS of secret family trauma. I feel like potential readers should be advised of trigger warnings surrounding sexual abuse, child pornography, incest, and sexual exploitation. This is book 6 in the series, and while the story referred to a few events that happened in previous books, I didn't really feel like it took away from this story at all. But it sure did make me want to go back and read the previous five books!!

This was a layered whodunnit, with lots of mystery and intrigue throughout the entire book. The mystery just kept getting deeper and deeper, with far-reaching tentacles, until the book's very end... And I couldn't wait to read what happened next!

If you're looking for a new series and you're a fan of police thrillers set in small towns, with endearing characters, you're going to love this! Anything by Lauren Street is an automatic MUST-READ for me -- I highly recommend this book (and this author!).

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Sterling & Stone for this advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is available to purchase now!!

#TooFarGone #LaurenStreet #NetGalley #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #bookcommunity #thrillerreads #thrilleraddict

Secrets, deception, and a whole lot of crazy town!

Too Far Gone by Lauren Street is the first book by this author I have read. Recently released and available to read now and review, the description intrigued me, however I did not realize at the time it was book 6 in a series. For those that have read from book 1 there is no doubt as with any series, the background from previous stories gives an extra richness to a story and the characters, however, coming in at book 6 you can read it without feeling like you are missing something.

Lauren delivers an absolute page turner, an attempt on Rileigh’s life, her mother going missing, the only potential link to what is going on is the mystery from 27 years ago when Rileigh’s sister went missing. As Rileigh and Mitch search for answers, ugly truths start to emerge, the inner turmoil of what to disclose, and the potential impact on the lives of those Rileigh loves dearly. For fans of this series, I imagine, this is a book/story you have been waiting for, to finally find out what happened to Rileigh's sister Jillian.

The relationship and closeness between Rileigh and Mitch simmers, no doubt this is something that has occurred over the previous books as well, wondering are they going to get together.

While there is closure on the main mystery, the book has enough unanswered, and a final bomb dropped to lead into the next book to come in this series.

Overall, this was a good read, mystery and characters I enjoyed. There were a few minor errors in this version I am not sure if they were fixed before the final release of the book, however they did not impact the rating of the book.

I am now very drawn to Rileigh Bishop especially as with each book I see how much darkness she has to endure. As always a very tense read.

Too Far Gone is book 6 in the Bishop Smokey Mountain Thriller's series by Lauren Street. It's a series that continues to get better and better as we learn more about the past of Rileigh Bishop. It's been 25 years since Rileigh's sister, Jillian disappeared, the night before her wedding. No one knows what happened. Was Jillian taken? Did Jillian get cold feet and leave? Why hasn't Jillian gotten in touch with Rileigh and her Mom, Lily? Jillian loved both of them very much and they thought she would reach out if she could. They started getting postcards the year Jillian disappeared. They got one postcard a year from all different locations, some in the United States and some not. Lily thought the postcards were from Jillian and she believed it was a sign that Jillian was still alive. The most recent postcard has a postmark from the town Rileigh and her family have always lived. Is Jillian in town? Each postcard has nothing but a smiley face on it, no other message. The latest postcard from in town was different, it said HOME on it. Was Jillian back? Where has she been? Why didn't she come to the house?

Rileigh is on her way home one night and she's taken the shortcut on a very bumpy road filled with potholes. She knows the road like the back of her hand so she knows when to swerve right and left to miss the potholes. All of a sudden Rileigh's driver side window shatters as she is swerving to miss a huge pothole. Rileigh can't stop the car from skidding and it goes over the side down into the river. The car is filling with cold water and Rileigh's foot is stuck. After working hard not to panic she's able to get her foot free and she gets out of the car at the very last moment. She's freezing cold and is able to drag her body to the side of the river and pull herself out. She falls unconscious from the hypothermia after she gets out of the river.

When Mitch goes to Lily's to meet her and Rileigh, he is surprised that no one is home. Rileigh should have beat him here as she left the office first and Lily should be home as he's there to help her move furniture. What's going on? Mitch is the local sheriff and Rileigh is his new deputy. When he knocks and calls out, no one answers. He decides to backtrack and locate Rileigh that way. He knows the way she drives home and starts back in that direction. He sees tire prints going off the road and a car in the river. He is panicked and hurries down the river bank. He calls it in first so that help will come. When he gets down there he finds Rileigh laying there unconscious. She's very cold. He takes off all of her clothes and wraps her in his warm coat. He holds her against his warm body as that's what they say to do with someone suffering from hypothermia. Rileigh doesn't wake up and Mitch is scared. Rileigh is more than a deputy to him. He asked her to have dinner with him as he really likes her. Once the ambulance arrives and they get Rileigh to the hospital, the doc says she should make a full recovery.

As Rileigh wakes up she is still so very cold and remembers what caused her accident. She tells Mitch about her window shattering and that she believes someone shot at her from the woods. Why would someone want to kill Rileigh? This was a professional sniper that someone must've hired. What had Rileight done to cause someone to want to kill her? Was it an old case? Was it someone she knew? So many people in town that Rileigh trusts are keeping secrets. Who is willing to kill to keep their secret safe? Will Rileigh and Mitch find out in time before someone close to them dies? Is Jillian alive? Where has Lily gone? She's been missing since Rileigh's accident. Has she been kidnapped. Can Aunt Daisy shed any light on this? She's in the insane asylum but has moments of clarity. Will she be able to help find the killer?

This book has it all. You will be on the edge of your seat as you read this fantastic thriller. I rate Too Far Gone 5 stars with my highest recommendation. I hope this series has many more books to come because I love the characters and their stories. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Sterling & Stone for an advanced copy of Too Far Gone in exchange for a fair review. Too Far Gone is available now so don't miss this exciting thriller! #TooFarGone

This was very fast-paced and a real page-turner. Lots of twists and compelling plot line. There was always something more with a touch of being dark. Great book!

I received this book via NetGalley to give my honest opinion. And I LOVED it! The kicker? I haven’t actually read any of the series before this one (book 6). Luckily for me, the story was pretty easy to follow along with even having never read any of the series leading up to it. Too Far Gone had me sucked in from the beginning, on the edge of my seat the entire time. Suspenseful! I’m excited to dive into the rest of this series and that there will most definitely be more books to come. Thank you NetGalley and Lauren Street for the opportunity to read this book! Available NOW — definitely check it out.