Wow! What a story. So many twists and turns. A highly emotional, slightly romantic, extremely suspenseful story set in the most rundown areas of San Francisco. Apart from the drugs, the prostitution and the violence surrounding the murders being investigated by Police Inspector Lennon Gray, there’s also one more thing they have in common. A certain drug, in tablet form, is always left at the scene of the tragedy, with the initials BB on it. Now it seems the FBI have taken an interest, as Agent Ambrose Mars partners up with Lennon to investigate the how’s, the who’s and the why’s, and to try and catch the violent killer instigating these murders. Not for the faint hearted, the story goes into some in-depth scenes of violence, rape and abuse. Even the police struggle at some of these scenes. Who can Lennon trust? When things take a turn for the worse, Lennon has to decide how far she’ll go to solve these crimes. I’ve got to say I was hooked from the first page, this book had everything I love in a suspense novel. Told in multiple POVs throughout, but mainly from our two main characters perspective. A full five star read for me. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

3.5 ⭐️
The Broken Places stands as a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit, illustrating the many ways people cope with and heal from trauma. Some even find ways to overcome it, and that journey is truly beautiful. While trauma is complex, society doesn’t always provide the resources needed for recovery, and recognizing this is crucial.

Mia leaves us with an important lesson: compassion, understanding, and grace are essential. For those dealing with trauma, there is always hope, love, and trust in the world—qualities you absolutely deserve—and healing is within reach. This serves as a reminder that no matter the circumstances, everyone is worthy.

I love Mia Sheridan's writing. This book was so good. Almost police procedural which I enjoy. Lots of secrets, lots of lies, but it all came together and flowed well. I really enjoyed the characters and their histories.

This was such a dark read that I wasn't prepared for it. It's about the underbelly of San Francisco set in Tenderloin district with murders of drug users and prostitutes.

We have Lennon who is partnered an FBI, Ambrose to investigate these murders. They have an attraction to each other and there's some romance between them. I felt the romance needed more development and it felt more like they were using each other for company.

The murder mystery was interesting and I enjoyed the POV of Jett. Though it was pretty obvious who Jett was, I didn't not see how he became who he was.

I think the story has some interesting ideas of how to rehabilitate trauma and to come out of it.

Thank you to the publisher @netgalley for a copy of the book.

3.5 stars

I really liked the who done it part of this story. I couldn’t guess the bad guy until the very end which is always a plus. I think that some parts of this were a bit far fetched. Specifically the scene at the end. And while I liked the characters, I wished for more details about them. The mystery was definitely the highlight of the book. You kind of think you know who the killer is and where the story was going, then something happens to prove you wrong.I felt like overall the story was good but could have been more in depth.

I was so excited to dive into The Broken Place because the premise had me hooked right from the start. Mia Sheridan always knows how to create intriguing setups, and this one was no different. Unfortunately, the writing felt slow at times, and it was hard to stay fully engaged.

The main characters were fine, but they didn’t leave much of an impression on me. While their journeys had emotional moments, I wanted to connect with them more deeply. Overall, it was a decent read, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. A solid 3.5 stars.


Thank you to the publisher for this Arc, this Arc was provided in exchange for my honest review.

I don’t read a ton of thrillers these days but I do usually enjoy Mia Sheridan’s. This one unfortunately wasn’t my favorite. I found it slow and kind of depressing. You really have to suspend your disbelief to enjoy the second. Half of the book and I had trouble doing that.

I was interested to know the answers but it took so long to get there and was unbelievable in the end.

Lennon and Ambrose are forced to work together to solve a case about a new drug, but will their own feelings get in the way of it?

This story was fast paced and mostly enjoyable. I liked where it ended.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

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 suspect 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.

THE BROKEN PLACES By Mia Sheridan ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book was kind of an ExPEriaNCe for me. I want to say that I just sat back and enjoyed the twisty, turning ride... but honestly, it was so much deeper than that for me and I came away feeling a little raw, but also uplifted somehow. It was so much more than a psychological thriller! It is a striking glimpse into the pain and trauma our fellow humans experiance and an exploration into healing it.

**If you have any triggers, I will encourage you to check the trigger warnings listed for this one because some of the material is very hard to read.**

I think the thing that stuck out to me the most was the undercurrent of compassion and humanity that flowed through the story. This is some heavy material, you know? I definitely felt the pain and the trauma that was explored within these pages and I also saw Lennon and Ambrose's soft heart towards the experiances that clearly mirrored Mia's heart.
I don't think that it was a coincidence that I stumbled upon a podcast on the 'Tube at the same time that I read this book and WHOA. Did that really cement some big emotions onto my heart during this read. It is a podcast very similar to "The Fringe" podcast in this book. Exploring the lived experiances of some of society's beautiful souls that have had to live their life on the harder and more broken sides of life.

This book was beautifully written. It flowed effortlessly and it never felt stilted or confusing, even with the various timelines and points of view. Mia has such a talented way of weaving her suspense stories and giving us just enough without giving too much. I greatly esteem her writing ability and the way she pulls you in and keeps you invested. That's something I can always count on her books to do!

All of that said, I am seeing chatter about the believability of the things explored in The Broken Places, and I feel a little sad that so many were caught up on that. Think about how often we are willing to suspend our belief in order to read a meet-cute? C'mon. Nannies don't get an all-expense paid trip around the world with a stunningly handsome single billionaire very often, people. But we gobble that up. I honestly don't think you have to suspend your belief THAT much to read about hallucinogens in relation to trauma. You know what I mean? It's fiction. It's a wild story. But it's not that out there. So don't let the "This is not realistic" reviews sway whether you read The Broken Places. This was a fantastic book and I bet you won't actually guess the ending. 😉

Thank you Mia Sheridan and Netgalley for a chance to read this novel before the release date in exchange for my honest review. I deeply appreciate it!

A well written thriller set in San Francisco- which almost becomes a character as well. This is topical. Lennon and Ambrose are good characters (bit geez those names). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This one is my first read by the author, and I really enjoyed it. The themes is PTSD, drug addiction, romantic suspense, and emotional growth were spot on. The writer gave the characters a lot of depth and I was sorry when the book ended, but the resolution was super. The idea of treatment for those patients was certainly imaginative.

Four stars!

"The world breaks everyone and afterward, many are strong at the broken places. —Ernest Hemingway "

An electrifying story of stunning romantic suspense, This story will linger long after turning the final page. It will compel you to think and dig deep in your soul. Believe me, I'm choked up, teary eyed, right now.
I'm just sat here, having finished the book, trying to sort out my emotions. They've been through a wringer. The feeling of devastation and hopelessness envelops the story like a fog. It's hard to find a way out of it. then steps in Detective Lennon Gray and Agent Ambrose Mars. They are in Tenderloin Neighbourhood of Pleasant Hill, where a series of serial killings have taken place. . It's known as San Francisco Purgatory for a reason. Such hovels aren't exclusive to one city only, its true of any big city. We have drug infested neighborhood like Harlem NYC, infamous Kensington in Philadelphia and other cities, I'm sure.
The people who've fell prey to this dragon are usually abandoned, abused people living on streets. Very vulnerable, susceptible to all the villainous ills that run unchecked.

"What must we do? We must do something.”

And then there's the scenes where gruesome, screaming murders have taken place.
Lennon and Ambrose get to work, deciphering one clue at a time, to unravel the mystery before clock runs out.
But Lennon has to also deal with the betrayal from within....
Throughout the story, I'd turn the page and my heart would drop some more in my stomach. Crimes in general are indigestible, but when innocent children are at the receiving end, I wanna make it my own personal crusade to play the Annihilator.

“Life. Ah, yes. Life is often cruel.”
“But it’s the easier burden to bear. When humans are cruel, specifically the ones who are tasked with caring for you, it is the most unbearable cruelty of all.”

It clawed and scratched at my heart. I bled, teared up, howled in pain at the tortuous recount of every victim. What hurts the most is, it's just tip of the iceberg in real life and I can't take the injustice of it all
Thank God for Mia who has thoroughly researched and written a story that should jar and shake us enough to take notice. The extensive prose is harsh, well crafted and in depth. The emotional maturity shines through in dealing sensitively with the characters. Lennon is lovable, compassionate girl, doggedly pursuing criminals, and her handling of complex sentiments of what is legal and what is right is pretty clear. Her heart rules her head all the time.
Ambrose is tortured, abused beyond belief. The fact that he's still standing is a miracle and he turns it into a career of saving lives, by however means neccessary. It takes a superhuman to use his own grief and despair into curative energy. Ambrose does it relentlessly, risking his life and a chance at love.
He's admirable, esteemed and should be loved completely.

"My anchor. My soft place to land. My peacemaker."

Their union is fulfilling to say the least. And empowering. And hopeful. It gives me strength that there are guardian angels who are fighting the tide every day.
I'm so glad I got to read the book early. Being a huge fan of Mia and her sensitive heart, I devour and saviour every word she generously gifts us. Worth mentioning, in particular is the tale of seq-lion saviour Mia anecdotes in the story. The message is powerful and profound, and must be repeated often, especially people ready to give up.
5 stars for Benjamin Buttons

I normally love Mia Sheridan books but this one wasn’t for me. There’s not really wrong with the story, I just found myself not connecting with it the way I liked so I wasn’t reading as much as I should. I DNF around the 40% mark. I think if you like detective story plot with a romance suspense, then this would be good for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for my advanced readers copy. This is my honest and voluntary opinion.

In this dark procedural thriller, Local SFPD Inspector Lennon pairs up with FBI agent Ambrose Mars to solve a series of mysterious drug related deaths in the city.

This was a really dark one. Here's what I liked:

Lennon: She was such a tough character. A bit jaded but with this underlying backstory that is so traumatic that you feel so much for her when you find out. She's the one that really drives this story and you are rooting for her the whole time.

Ambrose: He's one of these characters that is so mysterious and you want to know so much about him. But I think Sheridan does a really good job of not revealing things too soon.

The darkness: This one really is dark and there were some points that were just hard to read. But this was because it was so real. It looks into the drug epidemic and what users will really do for those drugs. It does have a positive spin to it though.

All in all, a good and dark cop thriller.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy.

I will preface this by saying that I'm not usually a thriller/crime reader, but the romantic suspense element of this had piqued my interest. Not going to lie, though, I struggled to get into this one. I've read Mia Sheridan before and loved her books, but The Broken Places just didn't hit the mark for me.

A great novel by Mia. Different to anything I’ve read before but utterly captivating. I definitely recommend checking this one out.

Inspector Lennon Gray is on a new odd case, where homeless citizens are involved in dangerous role plays while on hallucinogenics. Her new partner, Ambrose Mars, makes it a bit easier but their relationship grows and becomes strained.

This plot was such a unique idea, which seems rare in thrillers these days. I loved how the author took the therapeutic use of hallucinogenics and ran with it. It’s a controversial treatment, but is certainly on its way. The story showed ethical issues involved but also the horror of misuse. I loved the stories on the street. It was a gritty but realistic view.

“Dreams are dangerous. Dreams will break the last shards of your heart when you think there’s nothing left to shatter.”

The Broken Places comes out 12/1.

Everything Mia writes gets my undivided attention. Either it’s romance, suspense or thrillers. The Broken Places has all 3. This 5 star story had me hooked from the first page to the last one.

Lennon is a police investigator who is now plunged into a potential serial killer investigation that has her questioning humanity. The victims are brutalized before plunging into their deaths. Comes in an FBI agent, Ambrose. She hasn’t felt attraction in a long time. The feeling is mutual. Ambrose has dark secrets. Lennon must set aside her morals and will help Ambrose take down this killer.

This story is not for the faint of heart and you must leave your morals at the door, because it’s a difficult story to read. I have no triggers and I had a difficult time with the nature of this storyline. Above all it’s an intense, thrilling experience that kept me on the edge of my seat. It’s enough to give someone nightmares. I was captivated by this story and their characters. Lennon’s family were a breath of fresh air in the mist of gruesome scenes.

Very well thought out storyline that flowed well. And the suspense kept me hooked until the end. A page turner that had me reading for hours on out. Beautifully mastered and planned . Bottomline this is a must read.

Story told in the third person with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story.

Having read everything that Mia Sheridan has published, I definitely feel this is the darkest book she has written so far. I've read all of her other books in this genre, and this one has quite a few things that will probably trigger people, so I highly suggest checking out any and all trigger warnings before starting to read.

I think because this story is written in the third person, it was harder for me to form any type of connection or attachment to Lennon or Ambrose. Even though a lot of things are happening all throughout, the story felt very un-emotional to me. Perhaps it's because I'm used to reading everything in first person.

It is truly a fascinating story, if you are a psychology buff like I am. Getting inside people's heads and learning the how's and why's of what they do has always intrigued me. Mia really does an amazing job of delving into the human psyche, not only of the victims but Lennon, Ambrose, and many of the side characters. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story.

Mia had to have done a ton of research for this one, and probably picked her husband's brain quite a lot being that he is a police officer. Having said that, there were a couple of things that occur during the story that I had to suspend a bit of reality in order to accept what was happening. But overall, the storyline was solid. You have to pay close attention though, as there were a few times I felt out of my element as far as comprehension was concerned.

I didn't pay attention to page count, but the story felt a bit long to me, and the first 80% or so felt like it moved at a snail's pace, and then suddenly the last 10% of the book was moving full steam ahead and I found myself holding my breath at the climax of the whole thing. I wish there had been a bit more of the epilogue, and it was written in a way that the reader has to figure out what is going on by reading between the lines, so to speak. I suck at that; I am not good at figuring out what is being said. Just lay it out for me, because I tend to just obsess with making sure I figured out what the author is implying and if I got it right.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. As I said I was fascinated with the psychological aspect woven throughout, and what each character was thinking and feeling. I want to reiterate that people who have any kinds of triggers really should investigate those before starting this book. It really delves into some horrible topics.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.