Mia Sheridan is on a role with these dark romantic thrillers, and Broken Places is definitely in this category. Lennon is a detective, attending some of the most gruesome crimes. When a new case lands her at an ugly scene, she is given a new partner, Ambrose, an FBI agent tasked with investigating these harsh realities. He is mysterious, seemingly quiet and reserved.
With a new drug on the market and serious murders happening that shows a link to this drug, the detectives are determined to figure out what’s going on.
I was interested in the killer mystery, I wanted to understand what led to such heinous crimes but this story twisted into something more unrealistic by the end of the book. Lennon wasn’t the most likable character but her trauma and tough work life may have contributed to her harshness. Unfortunately this wasn’t for me but I’m glad to see others loved it.
Thank you for the eARC.

I just think this one might not have been for me. There were some parts that I literally could not put the book down because they were so interesting and other parts that I had to force myself to read.

The plot was what originally drew me in. It sounded so good, and a lot of it was. I didn't see all of the twists coming and I was engaged enough to finish it so I could figure out what was going on. There was, in my opinion, a fair amount of fluff though that detracted from the story.

The characters were okay. I didn't love them but I didn't dislike them either. They were just kind of there for me.

Absolutely not a negative read for me, just more middle of the road.

A dark and twisted new read that follows and Detective and and Inspector in San Francisco as they investigate a new drug that is having an horrific effect on the homeless community. Brutal, multiple homicides with no clear motive or perpetrator are happening before they can even get their heads around the first case. Inspector Lennon Gray is paired with the mysterious FBI Detective Ambrose Mars who as her feeling all kinds of confused. Ambrose seems to be hiding things. She feels a pull to him she cannot deny, but is reluctant to make a move. She is still mourning the loss of her first love and does not think she is ready. Ambrose on the other hand knows what he is feeling is strong enough to take a chance on, despite the secrets he is keeping. Will those secrets tear them apart? Will they make them stronger? Can they stop the killer before there is a mass murder on their conscience? If you want the answer you will have to read it!

In her latest psychological thriller, *The Broken Places*, Mia Sheridan tells a gripping story about trauma, healing, and unexpected love, all set in the tough landscape of San Francisco's underbelly. After the success of her earlier books like *Bad Mother* and *All the Little Raindrops*, Sheridan shows off her knack for mixing romance with intense psychological suspense, making for a really engaging read.
The story is largely effective but has some areas that could be improved.
*The Broken Places* delves into the impact of trauma on human experience and the diverse routes to healing. Sheridan questions traditional treatment approaches and highlights the intricacies of recovery. The novel also prompts discussions on medical ethics, consent, and the extremes people may pursue for inner peace.

*The Broken Places* stands out as a compelling contribution to the psychological thriller genre, showcasing Sheridan's remarkable ability in character development and emotional storytelling. While its dark themes may prove challenging for some readers, the overarching message of hope and healing resonates long after the final page is turned. This novel reaffirms Sheridan's reputation as a talented writer, adept at exploring complex issues while keeping the narrative tense and emotionally authentic.

**Trigger Warning:**
- Sexual assault
- Murder
- Drug use/overdose
- Sex trafficking of minors

Thank you to the publisher, Montlake, the author, Mia Sheridan, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC).

This book was an easy four star read for me! I was super excited because it was my very first ARC that I had the privilege of reading. Not only that, it was from one of my all time favorite authors, the incredible Mia Sheridan!

The main characters are Lennon and Ambrose. They are investigating murders that involve an unknown drug and unusual circumstances. I would say the book starts off a little confusing. There are chapters that take place in the present, years before as well as ones that are a podcast. However, stick with it!!! Like a fine wine, the book got better as it when on! I was so engrossed in the story and couldn’t put it down!

This book is told in the third person, which isn’t always my favorite. It took a little getting used to, but overall did not affect how the story was being told. One thing that was once again confirmed for was that Mia is a mastermind when it comes to her writing! How she came up with the plot and the multiple twists, kept me easily intrigued.

Thank you so much Mia for this incredible opportunity. Your books are literal gold! I feel so privileged to have gotten the chance to read The Broken Places and I will be anxiously awaiting your next book!

Vous connaissez très certainement Mia Sheridan pour ses romances mais saviez-vous qu'elle écrit aussi des thrillers et je viens de finir son dernier en VO qui était vraiment très bien ficelé.

Lennon Gray est une enquêtrice hors pair qui va se voir octroyer un nouveau partenaire, issu du FBI en plus, pour mener l'enquête sur cette série de meurtres de plus en plus violents. Les victimes meurrent d'une overdose et ont tous des passés assez intense. Elle va donc chercher les indices et faire confiance à son co équipier. J'ai aimé le côté romance qui se distille bien dans le récit et qui ne tombe pas comme un cheveu sur la soupe. Elle est tenace et ne laissera rien passer . Elle va chercher les liens entre les victimes et nous allons tenter de découvrir le suspect. Si j'avais compris certaines choses, je n'avais pas vu venir un certain retournement.

Ambrose Mars est donc agent du FBI. Mis sur l'affaire, il va tenter d'apporter son aide. Ca va tout de suite matcher avec notre héroïne mais au final, on ne sait pas grand chose sur lui. On pourra faire des déductions mais on se forgera principalement notre avis avec le point de vue de notre héroïne. Il cherchera aussi à comprendre les motivations du criminel.

Les base sont bien posés et on sent aussi que cette émission de podcast, The Fringe, n'est pas là pour rien. Des doutes vont se lever mais aurons nous tort ou raison de douter. Puis nous allons faire des découvertes et la toile va se tisser davantage.

Bref, je ne peux pas vous en dire plus de peur de vous dévoiler des choses mais sachez que j'ai tourné les pages pour connaître enfin la verité. J'ai trouvé aussi l'épilogue original et il permet de clore parfaitement ce chapitre.

The Broken Places by Mia Sheridan is another fantastic read!
The story is packed with twists and unexpected turns, keeping me constantly on edge. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the author threw in another surprise, keeping the suspense fresh and making the story all the more gripping.
As always Sheridan’s writing skills were truly remarkable. The author's gripping plot that immediately grabbed my attention and kept me engaged throughout.

This is a gripping and intense read that will captivate fans of dark, twisty thrillers and romantic suspense, particularly those who enjoy complex, emotionally charged stories that explore the intersection of crime, mental health, and the human condition.

I’m not even sure how to write a review for this book. I knew reading this book was going to be way out of my comfort zone. But Mia Sheridan is one of my favorite authors so I dug in.

Reading this story had me in a roll coaster of emotions, from cringe, shock, and tearing up. I love all the main characters in this story! San Francisco PD Inspector Lennon Gray and Agent Ambrose Mars were paired together to investigate missing homeless people. I will not be saying more than that. The ending and epilogue was great!!

Fragmented & raw

I loved the author's previous work so I was more than ecstatic to have received an e-ARC of The Broken Places.

I must admit it took me a while to get into this book, and even then I was torn whether I enjoyed it or not. The story-telling felt monotonous, almost sterile which on one hand did a nice job of painting the San Francisco's streets a dreary monochrome colour, but on the other, it also made me kind of float outside of the story instead of participating in the real investigation alongside with the characters. I was missing suspense, from the slow build-up to the unraveling of truth.

Without giving much away, I did like the use of hallucinogenic drugs in the way the author used them to support her plot scheme. The second half picked up the pace for me partly because of the fact that we learned about the essence of a particular "something" (as unbelievable and sci-fi-esque the something looked).

I'm not sure how to even categorise the book as the thriller elements never kicked in. Crime something, maybe?

Lastly, I wonder if a deleted chapter from between the final chapter and the epilogue exists...

I love this authors romantic suspense novels, plus I grew up near the area that this story is set in so it had me intrigued. Mia Sheridan is always consistent in delivering stories that pack a heavy hitting emotional punch and MC’s that keep me invested and reading. This thriller is definitely darker than her previous books, but…the twists, the turns, the characters and the plot are so well done it solidifies why I keep returning to this author. Be prepared for an addictive read and that epilogue!! 💕

I am a longtime reader of Mia Sheridan's books and while I'm more accustomed to her romances, I have enjoyed her suspense stories as well. The Broken Places takes the reader to the streets of San Francisco. Lennon Gray's partner has relocated so she's currently without one and her new assignment is as grim as ever regarding the murders of people on the street and involving hallucinogenic drugs. When Agent Ambrose Mars enters the picture, assigned to be her new partner, Lennon is skeptical, but he seems knowledgeable and just as invested as she is on the case.

There are definite twists and turns that require a bit of reality bending to make it believable within the context of the story. There are also heartbreaking anecdotes that are likely based on true stories of people barely surviving. Lennon finds herself not sure of what to consider as true vs false especially when people are lying to her. Ambrose may be charming and caring, but he is also suspicious regarding his motives and with how much he knows, but isn't sharing.

The story has a bit of a documentary or podcast type of feel to it and I am not really a big fan of either when it comes to reading fiction stories. Not to say that it wouldn't be someone else's preference, but that is partially why I wasn't as engaged with this story because I felt more detached to the characters. The plot behind the murders was intriguing and I was interested to see who or what was behind all of that and the answers were unexpected and potentially exaggerated. Towards the end where there's a big finale scene, that one feels like a movie playing out, but lacked a bit of plausibility. However, I do appreciate the take home points about how to help the underserved or the traumatized population to get back on their feet and to live meaningful, productive, quality lives. Mia Sheridan managed to deliver one heck of a story with a unique premise and punchline.

I really enjoy this author’s books. I love her romances. But I’ve also loved seeing her write more romantic thrillers.

The Broken Places is a romantic suspense that takes place in San Francisco. It features homicide inspector Lennon Gray (female) and FBI agent Ambrose Mars.

This book had an intriguing mystery. However at times I found this book felt very dark. The murder scenes, the drugs, the trauma and the mentions of child abuse made me aware of the differences between this and the cozy mysteries that I’ve been reading.

The premise was unique. The case was fascinating. I really liked Lennon and Ambrose and I loved their jobs. And the romance was fun.

This book kept my interest. I definitely was not expecting the book to take the direction that it did. I would have liked more answers from the last chapter. Overall this is great for people who like darker stories.

I have been a fan of Mia Sheridan ever since I "Archer's Voice"and I jumped at the opportunity to read this one early. Set in San Francisco, this is a thriller with the story revolving around Lennon, an inspector, and Ambrose, and FBI agent, trying to figure out murders that are happening at the Tenderloin. These murders target the transient community (prostitutes, addicts, the homeless) and involve a new drug, BB. As the investigation progresses, nothing is what it seems and we go deeper and deeper into to the underbelly of the city in the shadows of the Golden Gate. 

This was a gripping story and I was deeply invested in what was happening, especially because it has very clever twists and turns and it definitely keeps you entertained. I won't deny I figured who "Jett" was pretty soon, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment. 

I am not going to refrain from saying that, though it is categorized as a romantic suspense (and it checks all the boxes for a romance novel, technically),  I was underwhelmed by the romance aspect of it. Lennon and Ambrose are very interesting characters and I really wanted to see the progression of their love story more.

As far as the suspense/thriller side. it's excellent and I highly recommend it for fans of the genre. 

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Content notes: on and off page mentions of addiction, PTSD, SA, homelessness, violence, drug use, drug overdose, murder, child abuse (physical, sexual and psychological), loss of a child, blood, mental health issues

This book was darker than I expected it to go and I am not saying I don't like that, because I do. This story was gripping from the first page. Lennon and Ambrose are paired together for a devastating case. Addicts are winding up dead and there has been a new pill that they all have been found with. This story takes the reader back into the past and revists traumas that are pretty triggering, so please take care in reading what those are before you dive in.
Ambrose is a man who has secrets and Lennon can't help but feel drawn to him, outside of work. She wants to know the real him, and he is determined not to get close to anyone. While working the case, they both have to work through their own traumas and decide what is best for them in life. I really don't want to give too much away, but the romance aspect started off pretty quickly and that threw me a bit. I was hoping it would be a little further in, but I could see how the connection would have been triggered.
There are dark themes and things that are upsetting, but this is a side of life that not many people dive into and I am happy that Mia showed us this because it does need talked about and brought to light. There are people living this way all over and it is devastating.
Thanks to Montlake, Mia Sheridan and Netgalley for an early copy.

Without giving to much away The Broken Places literally submerges us into the streets of San Francisco alongside the transients and they’re not pretty …and someone is murdering them with a particular unique drug. What is interesting about this story is there is discussion of the use of Ketamine Hallucinogens to help treat addictions, mental health associated with trauma which is the second novel I’ve read that dives into this new form of treatment which does give some sort of hope in the real world . I really wanted to love this novel as Archers Voice by this author I really enjoyed and I do understand they are completely different from each other, but I just felt The Broken Places lacked some compassion

If you think a police procedural thriller with a dash of spicy romance sounds interesting, then this one might be for you.
However, I highly suggest to check out the trigger warnings below before diving into this one!

I was intrigued the first few chapters; it wasn’t just a simple ‘whodunit’ murder mystery.
The story also covers some deep, heavy, thought-provoking topics, offering an eye-opening view of the two different sides of San Fransisco.

The storyline was well-written, and the mystery and romance were well-balanced.
The mystery kept me interested from the beginning until the end, racking my brains with theories upon theories to guess the twist at the end.

I really enjoyed the investigation regarding the suspicious new drugs with Inspector Lennon and FBI Agent Ambrose. They make a good team, and I also liked getting to know their history as they slowly got closer to each other.

Overall, The Broken Places was a captivating and emotional read, it explores about trauma, love, loss, grief, and second chances.
This is not my first book by Mia Sheridan and it won’t be the last. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: drug use, murder, mental health, PTSD, addiction, alcoholism, brief mention of adult/minor relationship, sexual assault

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the setting and premise of this book! I live pretty close to San Francisco and the way the city is discussed is spot on, as sad as that can be at times. It’s not everyday you read a mystery about the homeless population and this one definitely did the community justice! I enjoyed all the twists and honestly didn’t know where it was going to end up until the final chapters. If you like psychological thrillers and mysteries, you should definitely check out this book!

Haunting, and deeply suspenseful, this dark crime psychological thriller is on a league of its own. The author thoroughly researched this story so that it contains dark themes in a brutally raw and realistic way so please check the triggers before you proceed.
That said, this read was utterly captivating and compelling as it slowly and methodically developed.
The attention to detail and the solid plot made this story so interesting to read. However, it’s a tough read and there were times I had to pause because the story was so vivid and told so realistically I felt I was watching.

A series of gruesome crimes in the San Francisco area are being investigated by detective inspector Lennon and FBI agent Ambrose. These 2 characters are brought together under unusual circumstances and they can’t make sense of the crimes or each other.
What happens with them and the secrets they discover between them made my jaw drop!

The story is told in the third person and with different timeless making the story at times hard to follow. But I think that’s part of the complicated and difficult to navigate circumstances surrounding these mysterious horrific crimes.
What happens?
Pay attention!
It begs the question what’s will you do to find the truth!

Everything is connected and underneath it all is another gripping thought provoking gut wrenching emotional story that knocked. me. sideways!

Wow I didn’t expect that!!
4.5 stars!

This was my first book by Mia Sheridan. The story offers an emotional journey with compelling themes of love and redemption. The characters have depth, and their struggles feel genuine. However, the pacing drags in parts, and some plot twists feel predictable. While it has moments of heartfelt connection, I had the feeling that the story was nog complete. I liked the writing style and I'm curious to read other books by this author.