I'm a big fan of Meg Gardiner's UNSUB series. They're dark and creepy and fascinating - even more so since they're based on real-life serial killers like the Zodiac killer, Ted Bundy, and the Golden State killer. This newest installment in the series finds FBI profiler Caitlin Hendrix conducting interviews with an imprisoned serial killer to try to get into the head of her current UNSUB case, who appears to be imitating the convicted killer. As Caitlin tried to best the killer in a frustrating game of cat & mouse, she's fighting the clock to hopefully catch his copycat before there's another murder. At the same time she's dealing with a teen girl who is convinced she may be somehow connected to the murders. I listened to the audiobook and the narration by Hillary Huber is excellent, as expected - when I see her name I know I don't need to question the narration. All in all a most excellent addition to this series - hopefully we won't need to wait too long for the next one. In the meantime, Gardiner has a nice backlist I'm ready to dive into.
Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Audiobooks for providing a digital copy for an unbiased review.

Shadowheart by Meg Gardiner was a letdown for me. While the premise had potential, the execution felt flat. The pacing dragged, making it hard to stay engaged, and the characters, especially the protagonist, lacked depth. The plot twists, which should have added excitement, felt predictable and uninspired. I also found the writing style somewhat clunky, which distracted from the suspense. Overall, Shadowheart felt like a missed opportunity, failing to deliver the gripping thriller I had hoped for.

"Shadowheart" is a riveting thriller that masterfully combines heart-pounding suspense with intricate character development. From the very first chapter, Gardiner immerses readers in a fast-paced narrative filled with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.

I can't believe I hadn't discovered Meg Gardiner's writing sooner!

The audiobook was masterfully done with exceptional narration.

Shadowheart by Meg Gardiner
Narrated by Hillary Huber

The audiobook was good, Hillary Huber's narration was on point.

This was my first book by Meg Gardiner and I was quite intrigued in initial 30-40 % of the book, I was hooked with the writing and overall narration as well but slowly I started losing the interest. There was too much filler information and I wasn't interested in it but something shocking happening.


The scene where Goode is first introduced to us was definitely chilling and he had an impact which lost the charm along the way. Also the chasing scene at metro station was done really good. If that tone had been maintained throughout the book, this was surely be a 4/5 star read for me. Alas, I just lost my interest and finished the book somehow.

One thing is I found names to be a weird a bit, coz I was confused even towards end of the part about characters. Finch sounded like a male character, maybe it is my problem but it bothered me throughout the book.

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone publishing audiobook for the audiobook ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Audiobook rating : 4 stars
Book rating : 3 stars
Overall rating : 3.5 stars

While I loved the first two books in this series, this book and the one before left me wanting more. It just didn't feel as binge worthy/engrossing of a story as the first two books.

It had also been 4 years since I read the third book, so my memory of the storyline was murky at best. I thought that the author did a good job with giving us recaps of what had happened previously without making it too obvious though.

This will probably be the last book I read in this series if she does write more, as it just isn't holding my interest any longer.

I also wasn't a huge fan of the narrator for this. I thought her tone was pretty flat and just didn't fit in my head of how the main character would sound.

Book 4 in Meg Gardiner’s UNSUB series! I received this from NetGalley & Blackstone Publishing. I knew it was a sequel so I investigated! Oh! I had to get them all!

Here I am after book 4 to tell you that while you could read this book as a stand alone, you’ll want to read them all. I did!

Caitlyn Hendrix is an FBI profiler. Of serial killers. And this time there’s two! How are they connected? Are they connected? A protege? Mimic? HOW?!!

I was drawn into the mystery pretty quickly & then there was no looking back. Full steam ahead! A one-sitting, page-turning rollercoaster ride! The buildup is slow but under 100 pages & when it hits its stride it’s nonstop’

Creep factor is insane! Some of the descriptions were so detailed i was happy not to have stopped for lunch. Loved it and the narrator is perfect! I hope this isn’t the last time we see Caitlyn!!

Competing serial killers and a girl who desperately wants to know what happened to her mother. Killings that lead the FBI across the country to try to stop the carnage and find the connection to a past killer. Good narration.

I have been a huge fan of the Unsub series so I was super excited to get Shadowheart which is book number 4 in the series. Gardiner delivers once again a fast thriller that will keep you engaged.
The characters are so real and the storyline is compelling. I mean who doesn’t love a thriller about serial killers? This one has not only one but two serial killers. Oh, be still my heart.
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing Audio for my advanced copy.

I listened to the audiobook and the narration was excellent. This was my first book by Meg Gardiner and the first in the series I have read. I actually didn't realize it was part of a series until after reading it, However, that did not diminish my enjoyment of this book. This was a twisty mystery indeed, and I really liked that. I think this book could easily be a stand alone and the reader could thoroughly enjoy it. Or at least I did. Dueling serial killers is so creepy, and the suspense was solid. If you like dark thrillers, behavioral analysis type of crime fighting and clever plots, this was excellent.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audioarc to preview.

SHADOWHEART: AN UNSUB NOVEL by: Meg Gardiner
Publication: June 18, 2024. By: Blackstone Publishing
Audo Version: 11 hours, 3 minutes
Narrated by: Hilary Huber



This is the 4th novel in the UNSUB series, but can be appreciated and gobbled-up as a standalone. FBI Special Agent Caitlin Henrix reprises her role in this high octane thriller involving two serial killers. In small town Spring River, Tennessee, Deputy Marius Hayes pulls over a suspicious weaving vehicle driven by Efrem Judy Goode. He shockingly notes a woman’s corpse in the backseat. After the arrest, he searches Goode’s motel room, only to find three duct taped corpses in his room. Efrem insists he has nothing to do with these four bodies, however readily admits to a long string of thirteen other murders across the United States. Regardless of his denial, he is convicted of the four new murders and is imprisoned.
While imprisoned the murders continue. Women’s bodies crop up in North Carolina and in New York City. The bodies and their placement directly resemble the kills ascribed to Goode.
Along with the new kills are the presence of graffiti …. a drawing of a “broken heart.” The possibility of a copycat killer, results in FBI profiler Caitlin Hendrix being drawn into the investigation. Her first action is to interview Goode in prison, to hopefully glean relevant information. Caitlin is also approached by an adopted teen, Finch Winter, who’s convinced that her birth mother was murdered by Goode. As the bodies pile up, the urgency to uncover the motivation and connection of “The Ghost” to Goode becomes more paramount.
Meg Gardiner proves to be a masterful storyteller as she weaves together the multiple converging plot lines. Littered with twists, turns and red herrings the intrigue and suspense mercilessly escalates into an exhilarating denouement.
This wonderful thriller is narrated by Hilary Huber, who provides distinct voices for multiple characters with inflections supporting the building fear, suspicion and tension. A virtual masterpiece in the theatre of my mind. Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for providing an Advance Audio version in exchange for an honest review. I honestly cannot wait for the continuation of this marvelous series.

I found this newest book in the UNSUB series to be incredibly exciting! I have been a fan of this series from the start and was excited to start listening to this book. This is the fourth book in the series but it can easily be read as a stand-alone. This story had all the action I hoped to find and a mystery that kept me guessing until the very end.

Caitlin is called in to talk to an inmate, Efrem Judah Goode, who has suddenly started drawing the women that he claims to have killed. As they work to identify the victims of his crimes from years ago, new bodies are being discovered in the same places Goode’s victims were found. Caitlin and the rest of the team need to find out how these serial killers are connected before more people become their prey. To complicate matters, Caitlin is also dealing with a teenager who thinks she may be connected to one of the victims.

Hillary Huber does a wonderful job with the narration of this book. I thought she added just the right amount of emotion to her reading to bring this unique cast of characters to life remarkably well. I have had a lot of luck with this narrator in the past and thought she gave a solid performance with this book. I found her voice to be very pleasant and wanted to listen to the book for hours at a time. I would say that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of this book.

I would recommend this book to others. I had a great time with this thriller which had enough twists and turns to keep me glued to my headphones. This book wasn’t my favorite in the series but it was a solid installment. I can’t wait to read more of this talented author’s work.

I received a review copy of this audiobook from Blackstone Publishing.

When family and friends intertwine to create an illusion, leaving behind a path of destruction that leads ultimately to the final sacrifice. Chilly tale that really kept me enthralled and in awe. A scarily destructive relationship continuing over numerous years which tears at the heart strings.
Read it and you too will be drawn in!

I loved this book so much, I immediately ordered the first 3 UNSUB books. Multiple killers, one being a copycat-but-not of the imprisoned one, an adopted child suspecting her bio mom was a murder victim... there's just so much to love (if you are a lover of dark, disturbing stories, which I am). I very much enjoyed the interviews with the prisoner and his messed up games. Definitely check this book out if you are a fan of serial killer stories!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook in exchange for this honest review.

Caitlin Hendrix is a profiler who works in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) of the FBI. Effrem Judah Goode, a serial killer in prison, begins drawing women he claims are his victims. At the same time, a copycat killer is leaving bodies at the former sites of Goode’s murders. In order to stop these new killings Caitlin must analyze Goode and his drawings, as well as profile the copycat.

Whew! This was dark and twisted with a fast paced plot and a large cast of characters who all felt real, even the vile killers. Caitlin is a tough, smart and capable agent, who utilizes her team; each of whom have their own strengths. Yet she’s not infallible and struggles with inner darkness. I’m a huge fan of profiling and body language analysis so I enjoyed being in her mind as she attempts to understand the killers. I came to a few conclusions before she did, but I was still taken by surprise by exactly who did what and when, which always impresses me!

Pairing the book with audio took the entire experience up a level. With Meg Gardiner’s deft writing and superb attention to detail and Hillary Huber’s strong emotive performance, I had a film playing inside my head. Huber has a smooth dulcet tone and was an absolute pleasure to listen to. Each character had a unique and distinguishable voice and even the voice of Goode was soothing, although his taunting slow drawl gave me the creeps! Don’t even get me started on the anxiety inducing action scenes; Huber’s modulation was phenomenal. I swear I could literally feel my pulse speed up along with her increase in pitch and pacing! SHADOWHEART is intense, disturbing, and full of suspense and pulse pounding action that kept me on the edge of my seat!
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UNSUB (the first book) has been picked up by CBS Television! I can’t wait!

Thank you so much Blackstone Publishing for the gifted physical copy and audiobook. All opinions are mine.

Potential spoiler content warnings below.



































⚠️Content Warnings: language, violence, gun violence, Mention of self harm & torture

Another thrilling UNSUB book from Meg Gardiner. I love following Caitlin's journey as an FBI agent and this was no exception. This one is hard to put down just like the others and I hope to keep seeing more in this series. The narration was great, compelling!

Thank you Blackstone Publishing, #partner for both the ALC and advanced copy of Shadowheart in exchange for my honest review.

This is the 4th book in the UNSUB series, one of my favorite series, and a book I’ve been waiting for since finishing book three a few years ago! I had read those three books just months apart and was so sad when I got to the end of that last one. But luckily we have this new one and the wait was totally worth it!!!

While this one gets off to a slower start, it definitely picks up and the twists and turns really kept me guessing. A serial killer and copy cat…yes, please! While this book will certainly work as a stand-alone, I highly recommend reading the series in its entirety. The case that FBI Special Agent Caitlin Hendrix is working on is a self-contained case but there is one thread that has been running since the first book and we definitely get some movement here.

Now hopefully we don’t have to wait too long for the next book…I need another one soon! But in the meantime, I will definitely be rereading these books to reacquaint myself with the storylines and because they are just so good!

⁣
Audio thoughts: Hillary Huber did a brilliant job narrating this one…I didn’t want to put it down once I started it! ⁣She brought such an amazing level of intensity to this narration, infusing just the right amount of emotion, fear, tension and suspense into her voice as needed. It was brilliantly performed.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for the ALC copy to review.

I have read this series over the past month, and each one just keeps getting better and better, with Shadowheart being so incredibly intense and unexpected. The audio, read by Hillary Huber, was fantastic, and I highly recommend listening as it really only enhances the experience. Each Unsub book gets more and more unique and in this one we have not one but TWO serial killers competing with each other. I’m sorry, what? And in the middle FBI profiler Caitlin Hendrix is trying to get to the bottom of it all and determine how they are related before everything blows up and more people die.

What I have come to love about this series and Huber’s narration is that they read like movies, especially on audio and for the most part I have listened to these books in one or two settings, and while incredibly intense I find that I cannot stop once I start. This series is so dark but perfect, and it might be one of my favorites now that I’ve read all four.

Wow! This was great! I couldn’t put it down. I hadn’t read the previous books in the series prior and am sorry I hadn’t. I will go back and read. This had me on the edge of my seat and I loved the MC. She was so realistic and relatable.

I didn’t care so much about her personal life or the case her boyfriend was working on but know if I had read the prior books I probably would have appreciated the movement there. Great narrator too. Highly recommend for fans of the Morgan Dane and Tracy crossright series’.

This book was so good! It moved well, didn't have a bunch of extraneous things to weigh it down, and was enthralling.
The B story was less riveting as I didn't have all the knowledge to be as invested in it; I am assuming it came from the previous books that I was unaware of. Still, I read this as a standalone and found it enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advance copy of this audiobook

What a fast-paced, thrilling book! I haven't yet read the previous books in Gardiner's UNSUB series, but I certainly plan to now. Even without knowing the previous stories, it was easy to get engrossed in this story of two rival serial killers trying to outdo each other and the detective trying to catch them. There were scenes mixed in that clearly continue a prior plot line that spans across books, but those scenes weren't distracting and, if anything, made me intrigued to learn more about what happened in previous books. There are some extended chase scenes in this book that could have become tedious, but Gardiner's descriptions made each scene vivid and the suspense kept ratcheting upward.

This book was wonderfully narrated by Hillary Huber, who managed to capture the feel and atmosphere of each scene, even slightly altering the narration for each chapter depending on who was the POV character. Thank you so much to Blackstone Publishing, the author, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.