Murder Town is an engaging mystery, with alternating POVs and timelines. While there is an overlapping character from Shelley Burr's prior book, Wake, it is not necessary to read the first. I enjoyed the characters, but there were some gaps in the plot that could have been more fully developed. This isn't a thriller but is a solid pace. I love the Australian setting.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #WilliamMorrow for a free copy of #MurderTown by Shelley Burr. All opinions are my own.

Tried repeatedly to finish this book, but was unable to. The characters did not engage me, the murder that unfolds in present day made no sense to me in how it was described physically and in approximation to where other characters were conversing with each other,. This may have been where she lost me, and I could not progress with it, even though I read over 40% of the story.
Just not for me.

I have a niece who moved to Australia several years ago, and her father (my brother) and his wife have followed them…so I tend to be inclined to read books set in Australia, especially in the mystery genre (Jane Harper being top of my list). So although I had not yet read Wake by Shelley Burr, I was happy to get a copy of Ms. Burr’s next in the series, Murder Town. I actually had planned to read Wake first (sometimes series can be ruined by reading them out of order), but I couldn’t wait so I am eagerly waiting #3 in the series, after reading #2, then #1. If it matters to you, Murder Town is fine as a standalone – in other words, you can read the first two in this series in any order!

Both the first two novels include investigator Lane Holland, and both have nice twisty plotting, with interesting characters. In Murder Town, the action happens in the Outback, in a small town that used to be “charming:” but is now mostly fascinating due to its reputation as “Murder Town,” the last locale for a serial killer’s activity some fifteen years earlier.

That killer, known as the Rainier Ripper, is responsible for much of the interest in Gemma Guillory’s tea shop, now a place of interest for crime fans and curiosity seekers. After living in the town her entire life, Gemma is now living with the police officer who worked the case (and to whom she is now married) and their teenage daughter. Now there is a new murder, raising questions about whether the person jailed for the crimes was in fact the actual Ripper.

Again, lots of action, lots of dying-small-town atmosphere, and well-drawn characters. I look forward to reading book #1 in the series and #3 whenever it comes out. Four stars.

Fifteen years earlier, the town of Rainier was terrorized by the Rainier Ripper. The killer's last victim was killed in front of Gemma's tea shop, making a total of 3 deaths. Now, a group wants to run tours in the town to highlight the Ripper's killing spree. The tour guide is killed by a copycat, again on Gemma's doorstep. Now, Gemma feels the need to dig into what is happening in her town. She opens her home to a relative of one of the people involved years earlier. There is also a former PI, now in prison, that is trying to crack the case. Gemma's entire family is in danger from this killer and the final conclusion and outcome is a bit convoluted!

I really enjoyed this book. This is a second book in a series, but it does well as a standalone book. The characters and the story line were both well done. I was hooked early on in the book, and I couldn't put it down. The POV of Gemma was done very well. I enjoyed her perspective on the Ripper case. I want to go back and read more from this series. I can't wait to read the next book from this author. I definitely recommend this to the thriller/mystery readers.

Thank you Net Galley, William Morrow, and Shelley Burr

This is my first Shelley Burr book and most likely won’t be my last. I love reading books taking places in other countries than where I live which is why I initially wanted to read this.

It’s set in a small town in Australia that became known for a murder years ago. As usual in a small town, everyone suspects everyone. All of the different suspects made it harder to pick out who the killer was and I loved it!

I just this minute realized there is a book preceding this one! I wish I had read book 1, that would have helped this make a bit more sense. However, this was a great read. You can feel the desperation and unhappiness coming from the pages. This was my 1st book by Shelley Burr but will not be my last, I now have to go read book 1 before book 3 comes out.

#MurderTown
#NetGalley

⛲️ BOOK / REVIEW 🌱

#murdertown has been on my list for a while. I have been in a rough reading rut over the past 6 months, so I was hoping this would get me out of my funk, but it just wasn't for me 😬

I really had to push myself to finish this book. The overall premise was very interesting, though I have no idea why people would want to sensationalize the physical location of 3 separate murders during a walking tour 🤷‍♀️.

I found the secondary storyline with Lane and Jan far more interesting, but that still lagged for me. There were definitely a few interesting moments in the book as it neared the end, but I feel like this was just not well plotted. Also - way too many characters with crazy connections and back stories that confused the hell out of me. The ending left something to be desired, but I won't be riding the wave of this #bookseries. Thank you for my #gifted copy @williammorrowbooks ❤️.

I have to give this ⭐️⭐️💫 or ⭐️⭐️⭐️. Hope it works better for others

Murder Town is set in a small town in Australia. The town is still trying to recover from the three murders that took place many years ago. The culprit was never found.. When another murder happens, the town is in a panic.

Lots of twists and suspects. Everyone suspecting their friends and neighbors. More of a mystery than thriller to me, but still enjoyable.

This is an author I have not read before. I would read more of her books.

Thanks to netgalley and William Morrow for the arc.

Rainier was once a thriving small town. Tourists traveling between Melbourne and Sydney would stop to picnic or visit the local tea shop but after the bypass was completed, the town began to decline. Rainier’s only notoriety now comes from the three murders committed by the “Rainier Ripper” and resident Lachlan Lewis is planning a tour of Rainier, meeting the victims’ families, visiting the sites of the murder and speaking to the one survivor of the killer, now in jail for life. A new murder will alter these plans.

Murder Town is Gemma Guillory’s story. A Rainier native, she witnessed the death of a victim and was probably watched by the Ripper. Now married to the policeman who investigated that death and running her grandmother’s tearoom, Gemma yearns to escape Rainier. Instead, she protects her teenage daughter and her friends, supports her troubled husband and rents a room for extra income. Now with the police investigating a new murder, there are doubts about the Ripper’s identity. Could he still be in Rainier? Who will be the next victim?

Murder Town is a suspenseful, fast-paced mystery. Gemma is a strong character and I loved her relationship with her daughter Violet. Other characters are well described, the small town location is atmospheric and the conclusion is a surprise. I look forward to what Shelley Burr writes next! 5 stars!

Thank you yo NetGalley, William Morrow and Shelley Burr for this ARC.

Interesting and suspenseful read. It's set in Australia, and revolves around the residents of a small town that was put on the map due to a notorious murder there years ago. It's a fun read with a good number of twists and turns, and enough suspects that it's hard to pick out which will end up being the bad guy. Or at least the one worse than the other suspects.

Murder Town is a chilling thriller set in Rainer, a quaint small Australian town that has fallen on economic hard times. The town has been haunted by three unsolved murders committed 17 years ago by an unknown assailant, known only as the Rainer Ripper. Life has since resumed a sense of normalcy, but when an out-of-town tour company proposes operating a tour of the various crime scenes, the town is again gripped by the terror and suspicions of 17 years ago. Gemma, owner of the small tea shop where the last victim died, finds herself experiencing the terror of those days again, and soon realizes that the terror of the past has resurfaced. Shelly Burr has written an intense and exciting thriller with a plot that twists through the past murders to present crimes, revealing sinister, devastating secrets that gripped me from beginning to end! Incorporating the addition of the character of the detective, Lane, from her last novel and his part in this investigation was an integral part of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the book! Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of this review are my own.

Australian Author Shelley Burr's sophomore novel, MURDER TOWN, is an intense, highly atmospheric thriller set in Rainer, Australia, a fictional small town whose only claim to fame is a series of horrific murders by the notorious serial killer, the Rainier Ripper, and his subsequent capture. Almost two decades later, desperate locals debate whether to allow a tourism company to promote the dark tragedy by spotlighting their dying town with the Ripper Trail Tour. Gemma Guillory, her police officer husband, and other locals are still traumatized by the events that occurred when the last victim of the killer died in Gemma's arms at her quaint tea shop. She fears publicity generated by the tour will open old wounds, spill secrets and rattle skeletons best left to rest. The choice is ripped from their hands when a tour representative is murdered in a manner closely resembling that of the Rainer Ripper, and the undercurrent of unrest rippling through their quiet town ignites in an inferno of fear and chaos. Gemma and her husband are pulled back into the nightmare along with a prisoner, former investigator and cold case expert Lane Holland. Once again, a killer is stalking their vulnerable town. With time running out, Gemma questions how well she knows her neighbors.

MURDER TOWN is the follow up to Burr's phenomenally successful first novel Wake, and while it stands alone, there is a crossover character featured in both books. Burr excels in setting highly immersive, atmospheric scenes that pull readers into the story utilizing sight, smell, touch, and sound while creating a keen sense of place. A steadily increasing pace is driven by an undertone of malice permeating the pages as readers and characters navigate a minefield of twists through a unique plot line that culminates in a final shocking reveal. Fans of classic murder mysteries, crime fiction, and thrillers will devour MURDER TOWN--the gripping story of a small-town community pushed to the edge.

Thank you William Morrow Books, #partner, for the advanced copy of Murder Town in exchange for my honest review.

This was one of my most anticipated reads for this month and it absolutely delivered!!! I am a big fan of this author — it’s now the 2nd book I’ve read by her and I hope there is more to come in this series.⁣
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I have really come to love Australian crime fiction and this book is just one of the reasons why. It was engaging and captivating right from the start and I had such a hard time putting it down once I began. I loved how the author explored the closeness of small-town life and the impact of violent crimes on such an environment. She also touches on our ever-growing interest in all things macabre–the obsession to visit places where death has occurred. ⁣
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This book really kept me on my toes. Everyone is a potential suspect, and despite the fact we are led to believe this is a tight-knit community, as the secrets are slowly revealed and backstories are filled in, the tension seems to creep up. ⁣
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I loved this book & hope there will be another installment coming our way soon!

I found the mystery enjoyable, although I didn't realize this was part of a continuing series, which made me feel like I was missing some context regarding the subplot. I believe that someone who has read the first book would probably appreciate this one more. It was somewhat challenging to keep track of all the characters as well. While the story is set in Australia, it felt like it could have taken place in any small town around the world; I didn’t get a strong sense of place. Additionally, none of the characters were particularly likable, although to be fair, that’s not a requirement for a good story.

Rainier, Australia was once a charming small town with tourists stopping by on their travels between Melbourne and Sydney. One day that all changed when 3 innocent people were murdered in the town by the "Rainier Ripper." 17 years later, the murders still haunt the town and the citizens are desperate enough to allow a dark tourism company to cash in on their history.

However, the tour operator is killed by a copycat almost as soon as he arrives in the town, leaving the businesses and neighbors frightened and worried who may be next. Gemma, the owner of a tea shop in town, is drawn to the investigation in order to help save her town. A prisoner nearby is also drawn to the case but for different reasons.

The characters of Murder Town are well written, with the trauma the Rainier Ripper left in his wake considered in each town citizen and their actions. However there were a LOT of characters with many connections that were hard to keep track of at times. The writing kept me engaged and I loved that it had two POVs. Read if you like true crime, complex small town neighbors, gritty crime novels.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my opinion.

I was excited to read Murder Town since Wake by Shelley Burr was one of my top favorite crime thriller books of 2022. Like Wake, Murder Town is set in a little town, Australia with a tight knit community. While it seems like a charming town, seventeen years ago three people were murdered by what the media dubbed The Rainier Ripper. The towns people are desperate for an economical boost and pin their hopes on a tourism company. When the operator is murdered in what appears to be a copycat murder the whole town is on edge. It has to be copycat, because the Rainer Ripper is currently incarcerated for the past murders.

The one was a bit of a slow journey for me. There were almost like three stories being told, the current murder mystery, the past murder case and then an intertwined story from prison. I'm glad for the return of Lane Holland, I loved his character from Wake. I do wish he was featured more. The plot of the novel was well developed, and I thought there were some good twists along the way. I think the characters in Murder Town weren't as relatable, or likable and that took away from my enjoyment. I also thought the pacing the novel was bit slow with no movement of the plot in a few places. Overall, a good slow burn of a mystery. I hope to see a third PI Lane Holland book, if the ending of Murder Town is any indication I think I may be in luck.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and honest review an advance digital copy.

Top Pick - 4.5 Stars

Gemma Guillory and the rest of the Australian town of Ranier will never be the same since a serial killer claimed three lives fifteen years ago. Now, a tourism company wants to cash in on the town’s infamy by leading tours at some of the landmarks associated with those crimes. The town is split, with some finding this appalling and others eager for the potential revenue it could bring to local businesses. Then a copycat killing occurs which has the whole town again living in fear.

Murder Town is the second book in the PI Lane Holland series, but it works perfectly as a standalone. Lane has a completely different role in this book, and the information you need about him is included in the story. He begins investigating the original deaths while tea shop owner Gemma is also investigating. Gemma knows the town and the people and uses that knowledge to look into the crimes. I liked Gemma a lot and was pulling for her to succeed in the investigation and in her personal life. Lane is an experienced PI, but his circumstances limit what he can do.

Everyone in the town is connected, and it was sometimes hard to keep all the relationships straight. Some of the characters really stood out, in both good and bad ways, but others blended together since so many local residents are a part of the story. I was intrigued by what happened in both the old and the new cases and the book kept my attention. Overall, I really enjoyed this tense, atmospheric story and all of its twists and turns. The very end of the book has an interesting development, and I really hope it sets up a third book in the series.

~ Christine

Completely full of twists and turns all the way through, this book grabbed my attention and didn't let go. The plot and the characters were all so complex, with a lot of layers that were peeled back more and more, the further along I got in the book. I will say though, that there were a ton of characters that were just so unlikeable, that I just found myself not really caring about them at all.

5⭐️ for me. This had really great twist and turns with also giving you some good flashbacks from years before in certain people's lives. It was a true who done it murder mystery with revenge. You never knew what person or family member had done something! I enjoyed it a lot.