I really have enjoyed this series. I was really excited for this title as the synopsis had me hooked, but also the entire series. Shadowheart had me hooked from the beginning. I was equal parts wanting to speed listen but also savor the words.

I picked this up for the narrator but I also like the author, so it was a win for me. although it is a "cop" book I loved it. I was addicted. The way I invested in Finch. This was wonderful! It just kept getting better and better.

This book was good but took me a little longer than I wanted to finish it. I both read the ebook and listened to the audiobook. I really enjoyed the audio. May have finished it sooner if I had had more time to listen. The narrator kept me interested and wanting to hear more. I really hate that it was released so much later than the others. Of course, I read the first 3 for buddy reads so I read them all close together in 2020. I kind of felt like I forgot about the characters because they didn’t sound familiar at first.
I love how intertwined everything was. A few things I didn’t see coming. A few things that were not how I wanted it to play out. I love the ending set up. Hopefully a 5th book coming soon! I need to know what happens with the unsub.

Shadowheart by Meg Gardiner and narrated by Hillary Huber was simply brilliant. Very, very well narrated and as for the storyline? Genius!

What could be worse than one serial killer on the rampage? Two. What could be worse than two? When they appear to be having a competition with each other. Throw in a psychotic henchperson, a daughter who needs to find the person who unalived her mother, and a truly badass adoptive mother and things start to get a little but lively. Luckily, we also have FBI special Agent Caitlin Hendrix, her awesom team (seriously, this cast is utterly fantastic!)

Efrem Judah Goode is in prison. He was one of the serial killers who mysteriously turned up at a police station with a car containing an unalive body and a motel room with three further bodies, cocooned in duct tape. Naturally, the murders are pinned on him and he is put in prison. Years go by and things take a twist when he finally admits to the murders he has done. Problem is, they are not the people who he was found with in the initial arrest

Caitlin Hendrix is a talented profiler, soon identifying that there is not just one mind she is dealing with, but two... and a third

Action packed, dynamic, awesome characters and start to finish perfection. Hugely recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks, the author Meg Gardiner and the narrator Hillary Huber for this belting, compelling ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

I may have made a mistake by jumping into this series at book 3 when I still have book 1 and 2 on my TBR shelf. Luckily, I enjoyed this one so much I'm really looking forward to starting at the beginning with Unsub.

Shadow Heart was non-stop action. Part psychological thriller, part mystery it really kept me guessing until the end. One of the bigger twists was placed about mid-way through the book and totally turned everything on its head. It was such a rush seeing this story unfold. Anyone who enjoys gritty crime thrillers would like this one too.

My only tiny critique, and it really is me being nitpicky, is all the weird character names. Corlis, Landry, Finch, Keyes and of course Efram Juda Goode (who was always referred to using all three names). I like my fiction to be at least loosely based in the real world - I need to read about things that could really happen. These odd character names felt a little contrived to me - what are the chances that so many people with unique names would all be caught up in a series of crimes together?

Still, I really enjoyed this audiobook. I gave it 4/5.

Thank you Netgalley, Blackstone Audio and Meg Gardiner for this free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I waited sooooo long for the next Unsub book to come out and this one did not disappoint! Meg Gardiner does such a good job of keeping your attention and flinging your emotions all over the place!. I listened to this one and the narrator was great!

5 stars!

Thank you Net Galley for the advanced reader copy!

Publish date 06/18/2024

I was lucky enough to get an arc of the audiobook, and although I didn’t realize it was the fourth in a series it was great! Can be read as a stand alone but I will definitely be going back to start the series from the beginning

A great story about serial killers and how twisted they can be, I really enjoyed all the ups and downs in this one that lead to so many twists that your head is left spinning. We have a man Efrem Goode who draws portraits of the women he claims to have killed. While the FBI searches to figure out who they are so the families have closure we find out that there is a lot of things that happened and is currently happening that could cause several lives to be in danger.

Reading challenge category - Hoffbensen 2024: "Kindness of our hearts" (Heart on the the cover)

The fourth book in the "Unsub" series, this one lost my attention a bit. I found myself beginning to speed read through the end of the book when the climax was supposed to be at its highest. I found it to be predictable, but not bad. I am hopeful that the next one will get back to the original storyline of the prophet and the ghost.

4⭐
Genre ~ crime thriller
Series ~ Unsub #4
Others in the series ~ #1-4
Setting ~ a bunch of different places, but mainly Tennessee & New York
Publication date ~ June 18, 2024
Est Page Count ~ 413 (65 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 11 hours 3 minutes
Narrator ~ Hillary Huber
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ multiple timelines, police procedural, FBI, dead bodies

Caitlin and team are back trying to solve more gruesome murders.

What's better than 1 serial killer? 2! Oh wait, that doesn't sound good at all if it was real life, but it does make for some good, edge of your seat, fast paced fiction reading. Once the plot gets moving, the action is non stop, which I have come to except from this series.

Overall, another suspensefully dark and captivating book in a series that I highly recommend.

Series notes:
For sure read the series in order, so you can get a feel for Caitlin.

Narration notes:
Hillary is a well seasoned narrator that does a great job.

I absolutely love this series. But I found myself not being able to pay attention with the audiobook. So this is not one that I will be able to finish listening to. but I will definitely eyeball read whenever I get my hands on a copy.

4.5 stars
I was so excited when I got approved to read an early copy of Unsub 4 and it held up so well. This series is so good and the latest installment was thrilling, complex, and kept you wanting to learn more.
The latest installment has Caitlin continuing to work in the BAU and solve a series of copy cat murders of someone in jail. The complexity of the case has Caitlin going all over and working to solve the case.
This series is perfect for fans of Criminal Minds.

The audio is really well done and the narrator, who’s done the previous 3 books, is really good and just fits the character she plays.

Thank you NetGalley and blackstone publishing - audiobooks for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn't read any of the previous books and didn't realize it was a series until coming over to Goodreads to write my review. So, I'm confident that you can go into this without having read previous books in the series. 👍🏻

I thought this was an interesting and entertaining thriller. The multiple storylines while a little predictable were woven together nicely and the characters were flushed out well.

I wondered, at times, if the narrator was AI because it sounded a little odd at times. That, in no way affected my rating, however.

Solid story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by the amazing Hillary Huber. You know the book is going to be fantastic when its narrated by the legendary Hillary!!!

FBI Special Agent Caitlin Hendrix is on the case of a copycat serial killer in this UNSUB series installment. Efrem Judah Goode is a serial killer who now sits in prison after his capture but for some reason, there is another killer copying his kills, someone that leaves broken-hearts at his kill locations. To stop the brutal slayings, FBI profiler Caitlin Hendrix must unravel the connection between Goode and the Broken Heart Killer.

Despite this being book 4 in the series, you can definitely read this as a standalone. I loved that almost all the characters in this book are women, and the underlying plot of the nuances of the bond between mother and daughter.

How have I missed this author and series? I plan to go back and listen to all of the prior books in this series and check out other books written my this author, who is now on my favorites list!!!

Love this ….thriller that is chilling as it’s mysterious….copycat killer was a good hot case ….victims with children tend to render sympathy and I am hooked ….muddy scenes with filthy surroundings that leave degrading effects

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC (in audiobook format).

Shadowheart by Meg Gardiner, narrated by Hillary Huber, is the fourth installment in the riveting UNSUB series that plunges readers into the depths of psychological terror and criminal intrigue. Gardiner, a master of the thriller genre, delivers yet another heart-pounding narrative that intertwines the lives of two serial killers in a macabre dance of death and deception.

The story follows FBI Special Agent Caitlin Hendrix as she confronts a case that stretches the boundaries of her expertise and sanity. In a Tennessee prison, the convicted killer Efrem Judah Goode claims responsibility for a series of chilling murders, his confessions accompanied by haunting portraits of his alleged victims. Meanwhile, a new predator, dubbed the Broken Heart Killer, emerges, leaving a trail of bodies posed in grotesque mimicry of Goode’s crimes.

Gardiner’s prose is sharp and relentless, capturing the urgency of a profiler’s hunt for truth amidst a web of lies. The narrative is meticulously crafted, with each chapter ratcheting up the tension as Hendrix delves into the twisted psyches of two murderers locked in a perverse rivalry. The stakes are personal, and the climax, when it arrives, is both shocking and satisfying.

Hillary Huber’s narration brings an added layer of intensity to the tale. Her voice, both commanding and nuanced, navigates the complex emotional landscape of the characters with precision. Huber’s performance is an embodiment of the fear, determination, and resolve that drive Hendrix to face the darkness.

Shadowheart is a study in the art of suspense. Gardiner’s skillful plotting and Huber’s compelling narration make for an audiobook experience that is as immersive as it is unsettling.

This novel is a testament to the ability of storytelling to explore the most harrowing aspects of the human condition.

Shadow heart is compelling , riveting, suspenseful and one of the best books I’ve had the pleasure of reading . Audio style of course. A must read thriller!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BlackstonePublishingAudiobooks for the book #ShadowHeart by #MegGardiner. This book, the fourth installment in the Unsub series, is absolutely phenomenal. Caitlin is after another serial killer, or a copy cat killer-Broken Heart Killer. It’s pack full of chasing, murders and drama and I cannot wait for the next book!

I haven't loved a criminal profiling series so much since I first read Silence of the Lambs and then deep dives into the Hannibal series.

Shadowheart is book 4 of the Unsub series and if you like shows like Criminal Minds, then this will be a winner for you.

I highly recommend reading the previous books in order before starting this one. Although it could be a stand alone, you'll appreciate the characters more and understand aspects better if you do...also the other books are awesome and who doesn't want more awesome reads in their lives?

While this one isn't my favorite in the series, it was still a great and I enjoyed the mystery aspect of it all. I hope there are more books to come! The audio narrator did really well and I would recommend this route.

Detective Caitlin Hendrix is absolutely my favorite detective, and I was so excited to finally listen to this audiobook. Hillary Huber is Caitlin for me, so I always wait for the audiobook. Med Gardiner has written another compelling mystery and case in this one. I liked the exploration of copy cat killers, family secrets, and teenagers being teenagers. She built such an atmosphere of suspense that I sped through this book because I had to know how it would go. It was dark and intriguing. I just love this series so much and I'm so sad that it's already over. I am hoping to make it to her event in STL in June because I would love to hear about her process for these books.