Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to read your book Dark Intent early

This has definitely got to be one of my top reads of the year and cant wait to buy the book once it comes out 😁

The book flowed well with the writing from page to page, I came to adore the whole detective team but Rach was definitely my favourite and not just because she was a main character

Dark intent
by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
⭐⭐
This one wasn't for me. The story leans towards crime instead of thriller, as described on the cover. If you're into police procedure, day to day police work or law enforcement in general,you might enjoy this book.
I didn't get sucked into the story at all, probably because my expectations were quite different.
I'm not a big fan of the main character,who seems to be quite egotistical and presents long trains of thought, with vague information about her past and her values.
I had to not finish this book,because reading it didn't give me joy. I still invite everyone to give it a shot, maybe the book turns out greatly for you.

Detective Rachel Ryder and her partner, Rob Bishop are called to the scene of a shallow grave with a hand extending upward through the dirt. The body of a missing young woman is uncovered, but that's not all. Underneath is evidence of another body having been buried decades earlier. The discovery of teeth provides the identification of the older remains as another young woman who went missing in the past. As Rachel and her team work to solve both murders, there are many twists and turns that lead them to a surprising discovery. It's a great read.

Loved it! The character development was top notch but the plot was a bit predictable. I knew the antagonist almost immediately. But there were some subplots I didn't see coming. Even though this book was part of a series, I appreciate I picked up this book not knowing that and understood enough background to know exactly what was going on and still want to find the rest of the series to backtrack. This was my first read by Aspenson but it most definitely will not be my last!!

This is a book that I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC copy from the author (Carolyn Ridder Aspension), her author (Severn Rivers Publishing(, and the fine folks at NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Dark Intent is the ninth book in the Rachel Ryder series, detailing the day-to-day crime-solving abilities of Rachel Ryder and her colleagues in small-town Hamby, GA. and though some of the back story would have been helpful, the book still made sense without having read the earlier titles. This gripping crime thriller takes readers on a suspenseful journey through the small town of Hamby, where the past and present collide in a chilling manner.

The past comes back to haunt a small town when one murder leads to the discovery of another. When a troubled teenager, Jenn Berman, goes missing at the summer fair in Hamby, his uncaring family fails to notice. That is until a loose dog returns home with a bloodied hand. Investigators are led to a developing subdivision where they find Jenn's body in a shallow grave. The town is shocked by the murder, and Detectives Rachel Ryder and Rob Bishop are assigned the case to deliver justice for Jenn. But upon further inspection of the crime scene, a jaw-dropping discovery is another body is found buried deeper in the same grave. The remains belong to Caroline Turner, a teenager who also went missing from the summer fair almost four decades ago. The connection between the murders is undeniable. As Rachel and Rob race to narrow down their suspect list and inch closer to the truth, a dangerous threat emerges, putting those they love at risk.

On a five-star scale, this book is easily worthy of three and three-quarter stars in my opinion, and would easily be enjoyed by aficionados of police procedurals and small-town politics. While I enjoyed the story (this is the first book by this author that I have read, so I could easily see myself going back to read more of her work), I did find some of her descriptions and metaphors to be extremely excessive not to mention cheesy and bland (which kind of pulled me out of the story).

I liked the relationship between Ryder and Bishop. They appear to have a good rapport. The camaraderie between the team is fantastic! When one was down, they all rallied around to be there for each other. The analysis conducted pulled the evidence together. The team never gave up and were definitely determined to find the murderer. The plot was good, though a bit slow at times and this book felt like a slow burn for me.

As with all my literary ramblings, these are just my five cents worth

The past comes back to haunt a small town when one murder leads to the discovery of another in Dark Intent by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson.

When a troubled young woman, Jenn Berman, goes missing at the summer fair in Hamby, her uncaring family fails to notice. That is, until a loose dog returns home with a bloodied hand. Investigators are led to a developing subdivision where they find the unthinkable: Jenn's body in a shallow grave.

Detectives Rachel Ryder and Rob Bishop are assigned the case to deliver justice for Jenn. But upon further inspection of the crime scene, a jaw-dropping discovery is made: another body is found buried deeper in the same grave. The remains belong to Caroline Turner, a young woman who also went missing from the summer fair.

I like the relationship between Ryder and Bishop. They have a good rapport. The plot was good, though a bit slow at times and this book felt a bit like a slow burn for me. I was not riveted to the pages as in other books in this series.

I recommend this series, but I suggest starting with book 1 to get to know and understand the characters and get a better sense of the author's writing style.

This book was just okay for me.

#NetGalley @SvrnRvrPublish

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.
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Dark Intent by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is the ninth installment in the Rachel Ryder series. This gripping crime thriller takes readers on a suspenseful journey through the small town of Hamby, where the past and present collide in a chilling manner.

The story opens with the disappearance of Jenn Berman at the summer fair. Her family’s indifference is shattered when a dog returns home with a bloodied hand, leading investigators to a gruesome discovery: Jenn’s body in a shallow grave. But the shock doesn’t end there. 

Aspenson masterfully weaves a tale of intrigue and danger, keeping us on the edge of our seats. The connection between the two murders is both fascinating and horrifying, and the detectives’ race against time to uncover the truth is filled with unexpected twists and turns. 

The author’s writing is tight and engaging, with realistic dialogue that brings the characters to life. The small-town setting adds an extra layer of tension, as secrets long buried threaten to resurface and wreak havoc. Aspenson’s ability to create a palpable sense of dread and urgency is commendable, making this book hard to put down.

However, the story does have its moments of predictability, and some readers might find the resolution too convenient. Despite these minor flaws, Dark Intent is a solid addition to the Rachel Ryder series and a must-read for fans of crime thrillers.

Dark Intent is a captivating read that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Carolyn Ridder Aspenson has once again delivered a thrilling mystery that showcases her talent for crafting suspenseful and emotionally charged narratives. If you’re a fan of detective stories with strong female leads, this book is definitely worth your time.

Dark Intent by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is about two murders in a small town, almost 40 years apart, who both went missing at the summer fair. Detective Ryder and Bishop are assigned to investigate the case and find out how the two are connected. Excited by the premise, especially the summer fair setting and intrigued by the mystery of the bodies buried together, I had high hopes for this murder mystery.

My 2 stars are for the average writing and for being able to finish it. I’m really struggling to find anything I like about this. In the first chapter there were several similar sentences such as:

‘like a scene from a bad horror flick’
‘turned the scene into something out of a macabre play’
‘it was a horror movie cliche come to life’
‘it was a noir painting come to life’

Yes - all in the same chapter, almost all on the same page. This took me out of the story as it was just unbelievable. The descriptions and metaphors were also extremely excessive not to mention cheesy and bland. Honestly looking back, I should have stopped reading after chapter 1 but I wanted to give it a good chance.

If you asked me after finishing this book why the killer did it, I would have a very weak answer. Very underdeveloped plot. Missing things like flashback scenes that would really bring the past to life. The prologue states this was ‘a plan forty years in the making’ and I am just struggling to understand how this was shown at all. Flimsy motive that was just plain boring.

All in all, it just felt like the author was trying too hard to write this a certain way and that came across in the pages. It would have been much more enjoyable stripped back and without all the crazy metaphors every few sentences, this would have allowed the focus to be on the story and character and plot development.

Thank you Severn River Publishing and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A teenager's body is found buried in a shallow grave; and if that weren't enough, a second body is found buried under the first, probably decades earlier. Detectives Rachel Ryder and Rob Bishop set out to identify the victims, find the connection between the two, and bring the killer, or killers, to justice.

This is the ninth book featuring Detective Rachel Ryder, and though some of the back story would have been helpful, the book still made sense without having read the earlier titles.. I was surprised to find that the series lasted this long, though, because some of the descriptions were way 'overcooked' or just plain odd. For example, early in the book, there is this description of the incident room, "The large oval table, a cold island of metal in a sea of uncertainty, stood ready to anchor us through the storm of the investigation." And then this, regarding Detective Bishop, "His face blushed redder than diaper rash." I love intriguing and unexpected use of language, but these two examples don't qualify.

The plot was good, though a bit slow at times. The main characters are mostly believable but I didn't find them captivating. The ending was too abrupt; I kept trying to flip to more pages but there were none. If a book is okay enough that I actually finish it, I feel compelled to give three stars, but two is probably more how I felt.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

As usual Rachel Ryder is a terrific character. I have read every book and this author has outdone herself. Rachel and her partner Rob have once again solved the crime and kept me up way too late. Can be read as a standalone but i the series in order is worth it!

Dark Intent is a small town murder mystery that will have you captivated from the start. The story begins with a dog returning home with a human hand, and from there an investigation is opened with your favorite detectives: Rachel and Rob. Upon inspecting the crime scene, they realize they don't have one murder to solve, but two. Now they must find the connection between the two women and bring the killer to justice.

Immediately Carolyn Ridder Aspenson's writing had me hooked. I was transported to this small town and got to know its residents. One thing I loved about the writing was every scene mattered. I wasn't left with a book thinking "Well that could've been shorter". You don't have to read the other books to follow the story which was appreciated. The story was easy to follow and I grew to love the characters. I read this as an ARC in the middle of a reading slump and it was exactly what I needed. Now I have to go back and read the rest of the series! I highly recommend if you're in the mood for a thriller/mystery.

This was a very pleasurable suspense story. I enjoyed it very much. It was a really great story and I think most suspense readers will enjoy it.