3.5 Stars

Detective Margot Phalen is investigating a string of murders occurring in Muir woods, but when a body in Chinatown turns up, she is stunned to see the brutality of the murder is similar to the motive of her fathers first victim. Her father is Ed, a notorious serial killer who is currently serving life with no parole for his crimes. She thinks that maybe she can get some insight into her current cases if she uses her dad’s criminal mind to help her solve the case.

Margot must figure out if her dad is the mastermind behind the new killings or its a sinister copycat at work. In order to solve this case, she must comfort her past and face the possibility that she is more like her father than she originally thought.

Typically I don't usually like police procedural books. They can get bogged down by dialogue and the characters seem to blend into each other but this was quick and fast paced and didn’t lag. There was the overall case of the serial killer in Muir Woods and the main single case of an old woman who was stabbed in her apartment.

This is book three in the series and I feel like I did miss out on some background by not reading the first two books. I feel like these books were set up to be read as a series and I am interested enough to not only go back and read the first two but also continue on with the series as well.

This book gave me some Hannibal Lector vibes. Margot needs to meet with her dad in order to get him to confess his crimes but he also is playing a long game and I'm curious enough to keep reading to find out what the game plan is.

Overall solid thriller but I wish I had some more backstory before I dove into this one.

The Killer Instinct is the third book in the Detective Margot Phalen Series by Kate Wiley. This is a truly addictive series with Margot who changed her name because of her father’s crimes. In the story a crime of murder happens that is eerily like her father’s, but he is in prison for life. Strong plot and excellent character development makes this an incredible if scary at times read. Margot’s father certainly creeps me out so I feel for her any time she must go to see him as part of an on-going taskforce. The ending of this book is especially creepy.

Many descriptions of books say that the book is a totally unputdownable crime thriller, but this one is true. Read The Killer Instinct today even if you haven’t read the first two books, it stands well on its own. Be prepared to then to be compelled to catch up on the series. Books one and two are just as good.

I am completely hooked on Margot! This series keeps getting better. The mystery case is dark and twisted. The revelations are shocking. We see more about Ed. I loved everything about this story. I was up late into the night finishing. I couldn't put it down.

While I don't like to put the dampers on any book or author but I found this book just so-so.
This is the 3rd book in the series so can't make any comments about the other 2 as I have not read them, but this one it seems as lacking oomph, a bit slow at starting and the characters did not seem to have any warmth to them. The main protagonist Margot seems frighten of her own shadow and still dancing to her father's tune. which would not give me any faith as a DI police officer
I think the story has some bite to it but not really played out.
I would like the thank Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an ARC copy to review I'm sorry I just didn't find it so exciting as other readers did.

A compelling and atmospheric read. In this third instalment, the daughter of a serial killer navigates her role as a detective, balancing her own investigations with the unresolved cases tied to her father's crimes.
The characterisations are rich and nuanced, making each development feel both personal and tense. It's an absorbing blend of mystery and emotional depth, and I'm eager to see where the story goes next.

5⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of The Killer Instinct.

Detective Margot Phalen and her partner Wes are called to a crime scene where an elderly woman has been brutally murdered. During the investigation they find a page from a book about a notorious murderer Ed Finch and they think this murder is a copycat of his first crime. Margot knows more than anyone about Ed Finch because he is her father. Is someone trying to send her a message?

This is the third book in the series and I do recommend reading the first two books before reading this one. The whole series is so good! The characters are very well written and the suspense aspect to the whole series is fabulous. I cannot wait to see what happens in book four.

Detective Phalen is the daughter of a well know serial killer. Does this mean though she get into the minds of killers or have a better understanding?
This story gripped me from the start, is a serial killer at work and are all the cases related?
The twists and turns in this story might have you looking over your shoulder.
Great story and the end....oh my. I highly recommend this series.

Really enjoying the Margot Phalen series from this Author, an author that I’d previously never read before but am very glad I discovered them.
The writing is easy to read and flows well, characters are well thought out and descriptive, the will they/wont they chemistry between Margot and Wes is both entertaining and hopeful.
The plot is fast paced and tense in places, with a main story and the side story of Margot and her father.
Can’t wait to read more!

The third book in the Margot Phelan series and I have read and enjoyed them all. Fast paced, easy to read and gruesome. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

Be prepared to read into the wee hours of the morning if you start this one at night because you will keep promising yourself "just one more chapter". I am officially hooked on this series.

Margot Phalen is a detective with the San Francisco Police Department. She is very good at her job. Unfortunately for her she happens to be the daughter of an infamous serial killer, Ed Finch. This guy is evil incarnate. He gets great joy out of playing games with law enforcement, and he has no problem mentally torturing his daughter with his sick games. She has to visit him so he can give her information on the location of another lost soul so that a cold case can be settled.

It appears someone may be copying Ed's crimes, and Margot knows only too well how some people are obsessed with her father.

The supporting cast with Margot are an interesting bunch and are very engaging to me as the reader. This is a captivating mystery/thriller/police procedural full of palpable suspense and tension. So much so that I felt like I could feel it myself. That is how much I fell into this book - hook, line and sinker. It is chilling, thrilling, dark and dangerous, but it so well written that I could not put it down. Kudos to the author for another five star thriller in the Detective Margot Phalen series.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Killer Instinct by Kate Wiley is the third in the Detective Margot Phalen  series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Storm Publishing for sending me a widget, 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)
Detective Margot Phalen is a homicide detective with the San Francisco Police Department.  She was born Megan Finch, but her father is the notorious serial killer Ed Finch, and she wants no part of his name. Only three people on the force know her identity -- her Captain (Gordon Tate), her partner (Wes Fox), and another detective, Leon Telly.   Margot's anxiety sometimes rears its ugly head.  Over twenty years have passed, but Margot is still trying to forget the fact that her father is a serial killer.   Margot also has a brother (now called David), who has not faired well either.  Recently, her father was transferred from New York to San Quentin, and will provide Margot with information on more of his victims -- if she visits him.  She is working with FBI Special Agent Andrew Rhodes to deal with Ed.

 
My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Margot and Wes are called to investigate the death of an elderly Chinese woman, who had been stabbed 22 times....the same number of times as Ed Finch's first victim.  More evidence emerges that this may be a copycat killer.

Meanwhile, a third body is found in Muir Woods, and Margot and Leon are no closer to finding the perpetrator.  If only they could connect the three women.

Margot is continuing to visit Ed in prison, in hopes of finding more victims so that their families can find peace.  However Margot is getting tired of trying to placate her father.  Then she finds out that Ed has been hiding something else from her.


My Opinions:
This was a great addition to this series.  Everything flows very well.  The book is told from Margot's perspective, interspersed with chapters from Ed's perspective as a child.  We learned a lot about Ed's up-bringing, and how early his psychopathic tendencies started.

I continue to love Margot.  Although a strong, independent woman, she is starting to show a softer side, mainly because of Wes.  I love their relationship, which is becoming deeper with each book.  No, I'm not a romance reader, but I could see them together.

Margot's anxiety and panic attacks make her human, and I think the author is right in giving her these characteristics, because she would not come through her childhood unscathed.

I am definitely looking forward to the next book....but I hope it doesn't come out too soon....3 in a year is more than enough.  This author should realize I have other books to read!

An enjoyable read set in and around San Francisco including the famous Muir Woods, currently a little less spiritual and tranquil than you'd expect.

A variation on the tortured detective to the norm with Margot being the daughter of a prolific serial killer.

The storyline kept me interested throughout although the ending felt a little rushed. I look forward to the next installment.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Firstly thank-you to @netgalley for this ARC! I have been so lucky to receive all of this series as an ARC throughout the publishing of it! As you are all aware, I struggled with the first book but soon moved onto the second and I am so glad I did as I have really become invested in this series! 🥰 we continue to follow Detective Margot Phalen as she tries to uncover more murders by her already locked up Dad as well as trying to solve a murder that very much looks like one of her Dad's first victims murders 😳this was so quick paced and obviously you are following the character development along the way too! I would definitely recommend this book! 🥰

This book is total my vibe with the crime fiction and serial killers. This book had me from the beginning. It didn’t even matter I never read the first two; this book is perfect as a stand-alone. The way the characters developed; so much detail and a really big fan of the writing style. The twist at the ending literally gave me chills! I never saw it coming

As with the other 2 I loved it. And on a cliffhanger… killing me here. I love Margot’s character and I’d love to see how her and Wes relationship turns out.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the arc of the 3rd in this series.

Book 3 of the Detective Margot Phalen series finds Margot and her partner Wes investigating the murder of an elderly woman in Chinatown. The case yields a chilling clue that ties back to Margot’s serial killer father’s crimes, forcing her to confront a disturbing possibility: could her father be orchestrating these murders from his prison cell, or is someone out there continuing his bloody legacy?

As progress is made in the investigation into the Muir Woods murders, Margot finds herself struggling with her emotionally fraught prison visits to her estranged father. Simultaneously, she grapples with her feelings for her partner Wes.

Margot remains a complex and well-written character, deftly navigating the dark and twisting paths of her professional and personal life. The storyline is compelling, and I cannot wait to see where her journey leads next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and author Kate Wiley for the opportunity to review the advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is book #3 in this series and yes I would definitely suggest reading all three books! This book focus's more on Ed and his past. I really like this book and series all books are quick reads. If your looking for a well written mystery then I would recommend this series!

I realize now that this is #3 of a series. While you could definitely read it as a standalone like most crime novels, having more background on the characters would have made it less of a slow start for me. I was also mad the book ended as it did, thinking it was just over like that.. but there’s more books coming! Her relationship with her dad will continue! If I read the first 2 or realized it was a series going into it, I would have processed it differently and rated higher. I will read the others!

Thanks to Storm publishing and netgalley for this arc.
I love this series. ....
Margot Phelan is a detective, her father Ed Finch is a serial killer and is serving life behind bars, but to keep his daughter close by, he bargains with the police saying he will tell them where more bodies are, but he will only tell Margot.. When bodies are appearing,, they bare the resemblance to Eds original crimes... how is this happening? Who ? How?
This is a great crime thriller, I'm really into this series. Hope there's more to come, I highly recommend.

Detective Margot Phelan is on her third case to solve the murders the Bay Area of San Francisco, California. Fairly gory as usual and there are many similarities to murders committed by Margot's father, now safely ensconced in prison. She and sidekick Wes are not sure whether it's a copycat murderer or whether her father is pulling the strings from inside. As usual there are two timeframes - she growing up and then she and her father today. I'm afraid that this is essentially a repeat of the second book in the series (I never read the first) with different murders to introduce new aspects. It's not badly written and there is plenty of angst with her struggles about her past. Looking at the other reviews, I'm clearly in the minority. So be it. In addition, cliff hangers do not draw me in. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.