What a chilling and gripping read!

This book kept me on the edge of my seat! It was my first by Mia Sheridan and I immediately fell in love with her writing style and storytelling!

I would say this book is more of a suspense/mystery with some romance. I enjoyed the romance and I was rooting for Lennon and Ambrose, but I was also really fascinated and obsessed with the police investigation and solving the gruesome murders!

This was a thought-provoking and heart-wrenching read. It contains really dark themes (it is a murder mystery, after all) and I would definitely recommend checking trigger warnings!

If you enjoy suspenseful and dark reads with police work and some romance, I definitely recommend this!

Set in the heart of San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, this timely and thought-provoking novel sheds light on the stark realities of extreme homelessness and the darker side of experimental treatments for PTSD. Against this backdrop of desperation and vulnerability, police investigator Lennon Gray is thrust into a case that challenges her both professionally and personally. The story begins with Lennon being called to investigate a horrific triple murder, where the victims also appear to be the perpetrators. The crime scene reveals unsettling evidence: the individuals seem to have participated in a chaotic “orgy” fueled by a potent combination of psychedelic drugs and chemicals designed to heighten aggression.

At the scene, Lennon encounters Agent Ambrose, an enigmatic figure from the FBI. Despite her initial reluctance to work with him, she finds herself both wary of and mysteriously drawn to her new partner. Their uneasy alliance grows as they uncover deeper layers of the case, which is tied to a secretive and controversial study involving regression therapy for PTSD. This experimental approach, designed to address trauma stemming from childhood abuse and neglect, involves orchestrated scenarios using illicit drug cocktails.

While one faction, led by a well-intentioned but desperate doctor, pursues these methods in secret to avoid bureaucratic hurdles, another, more sinister force manipulates the process to deadly effect. The ethical boundary between innovation and exploitation becomes a central tension as Lennon and Ambrose race to uncover who is tampering with the treatments and triggering a wave of violence.

The novel masterfully weaves its narrative through complex themes of trauma, morality, and the challenges of navigating human vulnerability in a world of scientific ambition and systemic failure. Flashbacks provide insight into the characters’ motivations and histories, though they demand careful attention to track the intertwining storylines.

With its realistic portrayal of social and psychological struggles, this gripping novel confronts the grim realities of our modern era, blending suspense with a sensitive exploration of human resilience and ethical dilemmas. The result is a powerful and unsettling story that lingers long after the final page.

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

The Broken Places was unlike anything I have read from Mia Sheridan before – or from anyone, for that matter. Coincidentally I was just at a book fair here in Finland listening to another writer talk about her book which dealt with drug addiction and also watched a documentary about it just last week so this book continued those teams. The Broken Places takes place in San Francisco and it follows two detectives who try to solve the gruesome deaths of drug-related victims, and that drug is unlike anything they have seen before. Or is it..?

In my opinion Mia Sheridan – whom I mostly know as a contemporary romance writer – is also a very skilled writer of suspense. I kept turning the pages and reading just that “one more chapter” again and again because I needed to know what had happened; also, our two leads, Lennon and Ambrose, were such wonderful characters, and their backstories were so heartbreaking, that I was very much emotionally invested in it all.

A truly remarkable read – and one which I’ll be thinking for a long time of after reading, for sure.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5
Spice: 🌶️.5/5

The Broken Places is a standalone mystery/suspense romance between an inspector/detective and an FBI agent. I'm pretty conflicted rating this one. The beginning was really slow until about 60-70%. But then it hit the ground running and I was immediately sucked in. I didn't really feel connected to the characters until 60-70% and honestly considered stopping about 30% in. Some people probably would've stopped reading but I'm glad I stuck around and gave it a chance. But just due to how slow it started off, it unfortunately dropped slightly in rating.

Now on to the actual content of the book. This one is DEEP! The Broken Places dives into such difficult topics. PLEASE read trigger warnings prior!!! My heart hurt reading some of it. The amount of trauma the characters went through is absolutely heart wrenching. This is a story about love, loss, and healing. I enjoyed the ending but I wish there was more. I feel like "back, forth, back, forth" was also overused. I'm sure there was a reason to keep repeating it.

*Thank you to Netgalley, Montlake, and Mia Sheridan for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed are solely my own.

Book Review: The Broken Places by Mia Sheridan

This book is about inspector Lennon Gray who is investiagating a hallucinogenic drug that is forcing homeless people to violently turn on each other.
This is not my typical genre, but I recognized the author's name from some highly rated books, so requested the arc.

This was a tough one. Technically the writing was good. It was fast paced and didnt drag. But the content was not for me. It wasn's just the hard to read scenes. The romance gave me the major ick. The lying, the bending rules.. it just didn't feel right.
There are a TON of triggers for this book, which would honestly keep me from recommending to most people.

The one bright spot for me was the way the author talked about grief in regards to the death of a loved one. It was so poignant and relatable.

This has re-iterated that these types of books aren't for my tender-hearted soul... despite who the author may be.

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the arc. This title is expected to release December 1

2 stars from me.

🤍Book review 🤍

The Broken Places
A Novel
by Mia Sheridan

The Broken Places is a gripping and thought-provoking story that masterfully blends mystery, psychology, and the complexities of trauma.
The story starts with the investigation led by Lennon and Ambrose, tackling dark and brutal realities with authenticity and sensitivity.
This novel is a powerful exploration of the human condition, showcasing the resilience and strength needed to face trauma. Through its compelling characters, it highlights the many ways people cope with hardship, while also emphasizing the importance of compassion, understanding, and grace in the healing process.
Mia delivers a poignant message of hope, reminding us that no matter the circumstances, everyone is worthy of love, trust, and healing. The Broken Places is not only an engaging mystery but also a deeply emotional story that resonates long after the final page. Highly recommend for those who enjoy thought-provoking, character-driven narratives.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy, opinions are my own

I love Mia Sheridan books, this one was unfortunately hard to get into for me though. The talk of SA right off the bat was also a little triggering, this book just wasn’t for me. As I said, I love Mia’s writing and archers voice is one of my absolute favorite books. This just wasn’t the right fit for me.

I was honestly hoping this one would have me hooked but it didn’t. It was missing something in the story. I also wish that the book didn’t start with the talk about SA. It should have been spoken about at some point but not the first thing you read.

I love Mia Sheridan as a romance author, but unfortunately I've found her thriller/suspense books to be lacking. this was slow and just not super engaging for me.

4.5 stars - Wow! My first thriller/crime by Mia Sheridan and it was amazing! The emotional heart strings are there like in her romances but with a more heartbreaking aspect. Drug users, homelessness, abuse (definitely check triggers) - someone is feeding on trauma in a series of murders. Amazing twists! A story that sucks you in and has great main characters.

Lennon is an investigator who has seen the worst of the city she serves. She's on a new case when she is forced to take on a partner, Ambrose, an FBI agent. Together, they investigate the use of a new drug that pushes it's users into weird and dangerous role-play.
This is a romantic suspense. I haven't read a lot of Mia Sheridan's books, because so far I hadn't been a huge fan of her books, but I feel like this one was very different from the others (at least from the ones I've read). I usually love me a good romantic suspense. However, this felt more like a detective/police procedural novel with some romance thrown in... so I never really got invested into the story. Also, be ready to suspend disbelief, as what is uncovered during the investigation seems very far-fetched.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book had me at a chokehold till the very last word. The Broken Places by Mia Sheridan was a fascinating tale of suspense, angst and heartache. The story can be shocking and disturbing a lot of time as the author expertly portrayed the anguish and danger of addiction and mental health issues. But what made this a compelling read is the constant flow of hope, love and redemption. Lennon and Ambrose are on a journey that will test their intelligence, resilience and above all, their own flaws.

Inspector Lennon Gayle isn't still accustomed to the gore and ugliness of murder. Specially not the ones associated with addiction and homeless people. But a serial killer is on lose. A new purple pill laced with hallucinogenic drugs is always found at the crime scene. FBI has sent Agent Ambrose to help with the case but it's all a game. He has his own reasons to be here. Can they stop the killer before that person eliminates the whole homeless population in San Francisco? And at what cost?

Please read the triggers because this book is very honest with serious issues like addiction, mental health, trauma, abuse and poverty. The author also gave it a bit futuristic vibes with the experimental treatments and trials. Lennon is a very sweet soul. Her empathy makes her stand apart from a regular cop but it could be a bad thing too. From the moment Ambrose appears, I could feel he has more than what meets the eyes. He has been through the deepest parts of hell and he will do anything to support the project that helped him to get out of the hell. He has this calm, controlled, sharp and dominating presence that made Lennon trust him. Their attraction was a factor too. But the mind games and power plays by the killer won't be easy to beat. Ambrose has to make Lennon believe in an almost impossible project so that she would help him to take down the killer and save people. The invisible strings were beautifully placed. It was fast paced and raw and intriguing. And I love how the romance played a complimenting and enhancing role.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

Mia Sheridan is one of those authors who can literally write anything and make it a masterpiece. I have loved her romance and thriller side of writing. With this story being a little different I still enjoyed the ride. This story was weaved so perfectly where I could not predict a thing. I love how this story is so different than what I have read before, which is so Mia style. I loved the characters and their chemistry. I was hooked from the very beginning! This is why Mia Sheridan is one of my go to authors! Thank you Net galley for a complimentary copy!

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.