Second book of the new series, and what a treat to get them together, but the story continues, so very much looking for the third one. It'll be nice to see how the characters and story continue to develop. Page turning and engaging. Thank you!

4 1/2 STARS!

I was hooked quickly and the twists and turns kept me glued throughout! The second book in the Val Costa series really picked up the pace from the first one and had me enthralled with the story soon after starting. The pace was quick, the characters were fairly well developed and the turmoil and mystery was top notch. I feel that if you didn't read the first book in the series you aren't going to understand the wholeness about Val's background because it wasn't fleshed out in any great detail in this one, but I think you'll be able to follow it decently. The main storyline for this particular book was very intriguing and well written. I'm looking forward to more to come from Val and her sidekicks!

I recommend this book as well as the first in the series to anyone who enjoys a thriller that is high in action but light in gore. You'll find lots of twists to keep you entertained throughout.

Another addictive crime thriller suspense from H. K. Christie. Don’t Make a Sound is the second book in the series. Can it be read as a standalone? I would recommend reading the first book. There is so much backstory to Val.
When a woman is found murdered in her kitchen. Val is asked to help the police with the investigation into what happened.
If you are in the mood to read a suspenseful psychological thriller, this is a series you should pick up.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

WOW! What a book that hooks you from the get-go!

I had not read the first book in this series, but that didn't keep me from enjoying this one. The book has you guessing the whole time, and sucks you into the world of Val Costa. You'll ride along with her as she works on an unsettling murder, and enjoy every moment of it!

I'm about to read the first book in the series, and I can't wait for number three!

Add to your TBR ASAP

Don't Make A Sound by H.K. Christie is the second in the Val Costa series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background: (Warning – Contains spoilers from previous books)
FBI Special Agent Val Costa was living in DC until she was kidnapped by the serial killer known as The Bear. She had been hunting him, but made a mistake. Thankfully her team rescued her, but not before having The Bear's signature carved into her skin. He is still at large. She moved back in with her mom in Red Rose County California to recover, but when her mom had a stroke, she retired from the FBI to care for her. She has an 18-year old son Harrison who is starting at MIT. She is middle-aged, and divorced. Val has a sister Maxine, who is a major in the U.S. Army.


My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Val retired from the FBI to look after her mom, who had a stroke.  However,  she agrees to work as a consultant with the Rose County Sheriff's office when Claire Nelson, a local teacher, is found stabbed to death in her kitchen.

Val immediately suspects Claire's husband Jordan, but everyone assures her that he is the perfect husband and father to his two children. But Val is sure he is hiding something.

When they finally get DNA evidence back from the scene of the crime, they are stunned to find that Claire's assailant was a woman.

Val and the team start looking into Claire's life. They check out the school where she works, it's staff and students. They also look into an encampment and a soup kitchen where Claire has been active. At the encampment, Val runs into a woman who seems to be happy that Claire is dead, but she is so high and so mentally unstable, that nothing she says makes sense.

Meanwhile, Val gets another note from someone that she assumes is the Bear. She's still fears he is coming after her.


My Opinions:
I am starting to enjoy this series. I wasn't real sure after the first book, but the second one makes me want to read more.

I had similar issues with this one as I did the first, as I didn't always like Val or her attitude. I still don't like the idea of her and Brady together either, because I think she would just overpower him in a relationship. However I still really like the supporting cast. Her mom and her mom's friends are wonderful, and I really like Lucy and Sally.

As well, this was another really good story.  Again, it was somewhat predictable, and there were no real surprises, but it was still really interesting well plotted out.

I still don't appreciate the ongoing Bear story line.

I liked how the author alternated chapters between Val's point of view and that of Tally. That was really interesting.  I loved Tally

Overall, the book, although dealing with a rather dark subject matter, held my interest from start to finish. I am now looking forward to the third in the series.

Couldn't put it down! I'm really enjoying Val. The mystery is full of suspense and oh wow moments. I didn't see the reveal coming. I can't wait for more of this series.

Oh, the tension! I was practically clenching my jaws and holding my breath from start to finish. This slow burn psychological thriller is enticing and captured me, utterly and completely, from the first page to the last. I hungrily read the novel in one sitting, ignoring everyone and everything else.

Val’s gut instinct is spot on.
When a woman is murdered in her kitchen Val is hired as a consultant on the case. Can she crack it before the public’s patience is over?
I read enthusiastically as Val worked the case with Brady and her two newfound friends.
Brady seems to blow hot and then cold, I’m not sure if any true relationship will develop between them.
Val seems to be consistent and watch out for the Bear.
I think his voice is all owed to penetrate the narrative and I’m eager to find out what on store!

The second installment in the Val Cosa series picks up right where the first book left off. After retiring from the FBI to care for her mother, Val takes on a consulting role with the Sheriff’s Department and helps investigate the stabbing death of a beloved local teacher. She reunites with Brady, her friend and possible love interest, for another suspenseful and gripping adventure. Val remains on edge, still haunted by the looming threat of the serial killer known as The Bear, which adds to her portrayal as a strong yet occasionally vulnerable character.

The character development, particularly her friendship with two other formidable women in related fields: the Sheriff's Department researcher and the local coroner, adds depth to the story, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the fantastic series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and author H.K. Christie for the opportunity to review the advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Val Costa has left the FBI to take care of her mother. When she is asked to help with a murder in Red Rose County. The murder leads her somewhere no one ever expected. Thrilling crime drama with awesome characters.

This book picks up where Gone By Dawn ends. Valid mother is getting better so Val again teams up with Brady to work a case. This time there's been a murder. A beloved teacher has been stabbed to death. Val and Brady will peel away many layers to find out who done it. You don't want to miss the end.

Don't Make a Sound is book two in the Val Costa series by H.K. Christie.
FBI Agent Val Costa really kept my attention throughout this story.
This book is wonderfully written; a gripping storyline with strong characters.
The characters are well described and portrayed.
I could feel every single emotion just seep off the page.
H.K. Christie built up the twists and turns, pulse pounding, and page turning excitement... and it delivered!
It’s certainly a suspenseful page-turner that’s worth tomorrow’s inevitable yawns...

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

i hadnt realised it was book 2 in the series but i still enjoyed it

Agent Val Costa has retired from the fbi so that she can look after her mom who has had a stroke and is fighting to get back to how she was before. as a fomer fbi agent she has helped the police force in that county with any crimes that need her specialised knowledge

so when Claire Nelson is found murdered val is called in.... claire is a very popular teacher, she is also an active church goer and helps the homeless... so why would anyone want to murder her...

but its not long before val has a whiff of a scent only its proving to be very unpopular with everyone....

its not a bad read and i can see myself getting hooked into this series all the characters are likeable well apart from the baddies so will be keeping an eye out for more from this author they have an easy style of writing that pulls you in and keeps you glued to the pages, a win win for me

This book is totally out of the ball park and took me on quite a wild ride! Val is still looking for the Bear but she has more important things going on namely caring for her mother. When a local teacher is murdered Val joins the case and what she discovers is a monster staring her in the face. I had suspected the culprit but I had no idea how involved the case really is, it is scarily realistic. I enjoyed the budding romance going on with Val and Brady and her new friendships. I am still waiting to find out who the Bear is and once again I am left with questions which has made me excited to read the third book in the series.

The second book in the Val Costa series was even better than the first. A fantastic gripping thriller from beginning to the unexpected ending. Looking forward to many more books from this exciting writer.

Val has left the FBI to remain with her mother who needs special care after her heart problems. She continues to have bad dreams with the Bear who is still roaming free and she is afraid that the notes she has been receiving are from him. In spite of all this, she is asked to work with the local police to solve the murder a beloved school teacher found murdered in her home. The more Val and Jack dig to find the culprit the worse the story becomes as the complexities and crimes involved are huge. Don´t Make a Sound has a great plot, it's easy to read, and will grab your attention from the beginning.
I thank Ms. Christie, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Having read the first book in this series I was eagerly looking forward to book 2

Boy I was not disappointed what a read. I couldn't put it down.

Thanks for the opportunity to review

Don’t Make a Sound is the second book in the Val Costa series. I went in knowing this and have not read the first. This story references the first book several times throughout, so much so that I now want to read it. However, this could easily be read as a standalone. This is a slower paced suspense and at times I felt I was reading a cozy mystery, which felt like a good balance to the overall storyline. I enjoyed the authors writing style and I read it as if I was right alongside Val as she worked the case. The subplot storylines weaved in perfectly. The main characters were relatable and likeable. I would recommend to anyone looking for a quick psychological suspense read.

This series will have you gripped, serving up a mystery/case to be solved in each book with a continuing storyline that flows through in the search for a serial killer known as the Bear.

I requested the ARC of this book not realizing book 1 was also available to review so read book 2 first and since they both release on the same day, make sure you read this series in order as book one 1 sets the scene and there is the continued story that will flow through this series.

The Bear still has not been caught and it appears his MO has changed, a fixation on FBI Agent Val Costa.

After retiring from the FBI to look after her mother, she provides her assistance again to the local Sheriff's office after a local woman is found murdered in her home. A much-loved member of the community, the team are struggling to find a motive behind this brutal murder. As they dig deeper into the family, the community will be left reeling as the grizzly details that led to the attack come to light.

Looking forward to book 3 in this series.

Our eyes lock, and I know my life is about to end. The desperation and determination in their face sends a shiver down my spine. But it’s not until I see the glint of the blade, that I realize how quickly it will all be over…

When beloved local teacher and devoted mother, Claire Nelson, is discovered murdered in her kitchen, stab wounds covering her delicate pale skin, FBI Special Agent Val Costa is drawn out of retirement. Claire’s two children are devastated, and Val won’t rest until they have the justice they deserve.

Battling nightmares about the serial killer she escaped just weeks ago, Val has her work cut out for her. A church regular, Claire was adored by her neighbours and spent her spare time helping the homeless. Who would want to hurt this beautiful soul? The killer took Claire’s car and wallet, and left traces of blood at the scene, but Val’s instincts tell her the attack wasn’t random.

Interviewing Claire’s students and the people she helped at the shelter, Val thinks she’s hit another wall. Until DNA results from the blood at the crime scene turn the entire case on its head; Val’s assailant was a woman. Who is she, and why would she do this?

With more questions than answers, Val battles one of the toughest cases of her career. But when the trail leads her to a monster hiding right in front of her all along, will she catch them before another precious life is taken?