DNF at 50%. Ending the month on a note like this makes a lot of sense because this is how this month has gone...

This is the sequel to Shutter, which I think I gave 3 stars to. I liked it well enough to give book 2 a try. I think book 2 is tied to book 1 enough that you really should read book 1 close to book 2. I found myself kind of lost when it came to the characters who carried over from book 1. I couldn't really remember the circumstances of book 1 either.

I think Emerson is a good writer on a sentence level. The crime scenes she describes at the beginning of both books are effectively harrowing. And I like the tone and the concept of her books. But they just don't grab me. I don't feel invested, and I wish I did! If you liked book 1, though, I think book 2 will be a win.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I picked up the first book in this series because I thought it would be a good comp for my current project. While it didn’t work for a comp, I am genuinely excited about this series. It’s so different from any other series I’ve read. Part of that is because it’s a Diné MC. It’s rare that I see that in books, especially in the thriller genre. The other reason is because it’s from the perspective of a forensic photographer. I can honestly say in all the thrillers I’ve read (it’s a lot, trust me), I haven’t seen that. It made for an incredibly unique character that I couldn’t help but root for. Her story is so awesome. And this second story in the series is just as good if not better than the first. The only thing I didn’t like is the idea that there is so much corruption within Rita’s department. I genuinely hope that is not something Ms. Emerson has dealt with because that would be truly disappointing. In any case, I loved both Rita’s investigation and the personal story lines. They were woven together so seamlessly. Ms. Emerson did such an incredible job of immersing me in the story, it felt like I was there with Rita the whole time. She’s a fantastic author and I can’t wait to read more of this series!


Huge thanks to RBmedia and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

After reading Shutter, Emerson became an auto-buy author for me. I am so glad I found her books. Her first book I found was in an independent bookstore in Arizona. I love going to indie bookstores because you can easily find authors that the big bookstores are not highlighting. I had no idea a second book was coming out. I finished Shutter, looked up the author, and saw the new release for the 2nd book in the series. I was happy that Netgalley had the audiobook and quickly requested it. So thank you to Netgalley for the advanced audiobook. This review is for the audiobook version.

The narrator of the audiobook performs an excellent narration. I listened to 4 hours straight one nite. ( Go home, Ervin!- Yikes he is annoying!)

This book differs from the first, as there is an unexpected POV, but it is done excellently. The author has added a new dimension to her writing, resulting in an eerie shroud over the story. A bit of terror runs throughout the entire story, and I enjoyed every bit of it!
Rita is facing a new terror beyond that of the spirits, a prolific serial killer. And his POV is frightening!

I think I like the first book just a tad bit more. But I enjoyed the twist on the author's writing style.
I did feel the ending was a little rushed.

I hope to see Rita again!

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review

Such a well done unique investigation, also the descriptions of crime scenes and just everything that happens in this book is so well done, I can see everything , and if you don’t like gore maybe not the best book for you but I love it and this was sooo incredible. I love this and recommend!

I'll be publishing my review on Goodreads and StoryGraph 9th November and on Tik tok most likely will add to a monthly wrap up post with review the beginning of December.

Thanks to RB Media & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I heard good things about Shutter, Emerson's first mystery novel, so I picked this one up hoping it wasn't too linear to the first one. It's not necessary to have read the first book, but it's probably helpful, as the MC makes repeated reference to the events of the first book and they seem to inform her decisions about her job eventually.

Rita Todecheene is a specialist crime scene photographer who can also see dead people: think of her as a female Navajo adult Cole Sere from The Sixth Sense. Emerson does a good job of illustrating how painful Rita's condition is: on top of the drudgery of day-to-day life and photographing crime scenes (especially after a leg injury that occurred in the first book that causes pain over long hours), Rita is plagued by restless spirits who breathe their fetid breath on her and make her feel terrified and unsafe. It's unclear why Rita hasn't developed some coping mechanisms at this point, since she is a grown ass woman but still doesn't know how to avoid these ghosts (not make eye contact? Use talismans? We don't get much insight here). At any rate, some of them even follow her to her home and speak to her ceaselessly about things in their former lives. Some threaten her grandmother (not that her grandmother is aware). I guess my question is, what can they *actually* DO? This question goes unanswered.

Rita is working several cases, with few breaks, because there's a shortage of specialists. Honestly, her job confuses me, because she takes photos but also provides theory, This can mean that she is valued in some cases, but it mostly seems to mean that her cop coworkers mistrust her and think she's trying to steer their investigations. It's tiresome for her and for the reader. While she is trying to determine if she should quit or just get fired (the counselor assigned to clear her for work is concerned about her "hallucinations"), she's brought into a new case in a nearby town, which then intensifies. People are having their throats slashed and it appears to be the same assailant, as well as fairly random. To prep us for this, we are given alternating chapters: Rita, then the killer, who details his history, and unhappy tale of family murder, an orphanage, then abuse and retaliation and the burgeoning of homicidal tendencies in an area/time where mental health assistance is not attainable by poor folks. Our killer soon reveals himself to be a religious zealot, which is kind of disappointing, as I feel like this reason for murder has been done to death (as it were) in other novels/TV/movies, and I was hoping for better.

Where Emerson excels is the discussion of traditional way of life for the Navajo on the reservation of Towhatchee and the plight of poor Navajo in the cities of New Mexico. Those parts were the most interesting to me. I like Rita as a character and I'm interested in going back to the first book to see how I like it.

Charley Flyte brings authenticity to the story with her well-delivered Navajo (I assume) and definitely brings what I have seen referred to as the "rez accent," but she has an off-putting tendency to over-enunciate English (lots of distinct-sounding T's - maybe this is also dialectical for Native Americans in the area?), along with a few glaring mispronunciations (not sure why those weren't cleaned up in post?). The voice she uses for our homicidal maniac is over-the-top villain, but part of that issue is how his speech is written by Emerson.

All in all this wasn't my favorite, but I enjoyed it and am curious to see what else Ramona Emerson creates in this series or another book.

Navajo forensic photographer Rita Todacheene is back!

TW: This installment opens up with a very gruesome description of a family murder. There are many explicit details as the story progresses, which gives the book a true crime feel. I'm a big fan of true crime so when you combine the crime with the supernatural, this book is right up my alley. Rita sees ghosts of the dead at the crime scenes she is called upon to photograph. Her colleagues know this and do not trust her. This boggles my mind as I would think solving a murder would outweigh any disbelief in ghosts. The conflict in the department, along with an abundance of very nagging, negative ghosts, leads Rita to return home to her Grandma's house. Rita is very blessed to have the love of family to help care for her mental and physical health. This is in severe contrast to the villain in this book, who suffered heartbreak, loss, and abuse as a child, and who wreaks havoc as an adult. This story is told from both Rita and the villain's POV, jumping back and forth between them. Overall the book has a very dark, heavy feel to it and makes for an excellent spooky season read.

This is book two in the series. You do not need to read book one as I feel this story reads well as a stand alone book. I do feel this book has a slower pace and at times I thought it was a stretch that Rita was asked to help with cases. I'm hoping this is setting up for a third book in the series!

Charley Flyte narrates the audiobook. She did an excellent job as there were times I forgot there was only the one narrator.

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia, Recorded Books for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Loved Shutter & Exposure was just as good. The way it's written, I could actually visualize Rita taking the photos, seeing things through her eyes, including her interactions with "the otherside." How she's able to finally be open about her abilities & deal with skeptics while also dealing with her personal/family life is beyond me.

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/177199517-selina-gomez

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 10/1
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Exposure is the second in the Rita Todachenne series. This story picks up 6 months after the ending of Shutter, so i would definitely recommend reading the first one in the series before picking this one up. In this book, there is a dual POV, this time having the POV of the serial killer, which was definitely a different take and one that I enjoy in books. This story felt a bit slower to me and maybe even a bit more repetitive / not as memorable as the first; but I really like how unique this series is for a police procedural / thriller so I will most definitely read more of this series if Emerson decides to give us more.
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I listened to this one via audiobook. Charley Flyte was a great narrator and I really enjoyed the production of this one. If you plan to read this series - check out the audiobooks, they are easy to follow along with!
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Overall, this is a series that I don't think is gaining much attention. It is refreshingly unique with an awesome main character. Be sure to check these two books out! Huge thank you to NetGalley, Ramona Emerson and Recorded Books for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

EXPOSURE was an enjoyable sequel to the supernatural thriller Shutter. While it could be read as a standalone, I strongly recommend reading Shutter before this one.

Rita Todacheene is an Albuquerque PD forensic photographer who sees the ghosts of the murder victims. While still recovering from previous events (Shutter), a serial killer in Gallup, New Mexico, is haunting the streets, targeting indigent Native people whose murders are easily disguised as death by Exposure. 

The story is a unique blend of dark, intelligent crime fiction and the spiritual beliefs of the Navajo people, with a hint of the unknown. It is a slightly scary, propulsive thriller that delves into the world of corrupt police, creepy serial killers, and many ghosts. Told from both the POV of Rita and the killer, it is a violent and raw tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat. 

This book is very different and highly recommended! I'm already eagerly anticipating the next installment in this thrilling series.

The audiobook's narrator, Charley Flyte, was great, and I hope there's more to come! The voice suits this character quite well, bringing Rita's struggles and the eerie atmosphere of the story to life.

I am deeply grateful to NetGalley, and RBmedia recorded books for providing me with an advanced audio copy of Exposure in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Ramona Emerson, for writing another fantastic book. I can't wait to see what's next!

A really interesting and different follow-up to the first novel in the series.

Disclaimer: I did read this as an audiobook arc from NetGalley. Thank you, NetGalley for the free copy.

This novel stunned me in the fact that it was pretty different from the first novel in the series. I did definitely like this as well, but I feel it was a lot more gory and a lot more brutal than the first novel. There was definitely not as much of a suspenseful or tense element to this novel, but I did enjoy the dual narration aspect based on who was actually narrating. I felt like it gave a really great insight into why the perpetrator was doing the things that they were. Which overall heightened my experience with the book.

The narrators did a fine job with the dual narration. I feel like they lent a great air of emotion to each character. It was easy to understand and follow, even when I turned up the speed.

This one was more of a slow burn compared to the first novel. I felt a lot of tension and suspense in the first novel as to what was gonna happen next while this one kind of was a slow riding roller coaster to the end. I don't know if that had more to do with the fact that we a dual narration going on, or the fact that this novel had to do with a serial killer, and therefore had to roll out more slowly to accommodate to the various victims. I will say that the overall case is associated with this novel were definitely more brutal and gorey. Some parts of it were actually kind of hard to read, but it was still done very well and very realistically.

I feel like this novel only furthered my emotional and relatability connection to Rita. I really enjoy her as a character and I feel like I am feeling all of these things alongside her at times. I really hope the series continues because I definitely need a third book to follow Rita's cases and how she's doing with things.

The second book in the series, following a Native American crime scene photographer/investigator, this was an excellent book. I have the first book, but have not read it yet. You do not have to read the first book to follow the events in this one, but there are references to what happened to the mail character in the first book that might leave you somewhat confused and wondering.

In this book there is a serial killer. Rita is trying to go back to work, but is hounded and haunted by the ghosts of the victims. She is having trouble recovering and decides that the job is not for her anymore. She goes back to the reservation to live with her grandmother. Her "retirement" from the work is short-lived as the Gallup police ask her to help them solve these serial murders.

I liked this book and I don't usually like books with a paranormal element to them. I liked Rita. She's vulnerable, but good at her job. The book is well written and well plotted. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to read the first one.

I find myself all over the board about this novel. Rita, a police crime scene photographer who is Navajo had a deadly injury last year and even died for a moment. The incident ended up heightening her ability to see and interact with ghosts who have generally died a violent death. The follow her from death scenes, show up in her apartment and demand help from the woman they know can see them. They tell her how they died, if they know. Gabriel was traumatized at a young age in an incident that led him being placed in a Catholic orphanage for several years. He is now a brother in a monastery that serves street people in New Mexico. The novel flips back and forth between Rita and Gabriel in present day and retells multiple traumas Gabriel experienced before and at the orphanage.

I usual like dual stories or multiple time frames and follow them easily but when Gabriel showed up, it took quite awhile to figure out who he was. In Emerson's trying to make him somewhat mysterious, he just feels like a stranger who showed up for no purpose. Sometimes this works as the meaning and role plays out. Certainly, we eventually catch on, but the timing felt off. I listened to the audiobook so there may have been some chapter headers that keep readers tuned in. If so, they were not read in the audiobook. Each character's religious background and life experience influences how they handle, for better or worse, their challenges and behavior in dealing with many deaths that have been ignored for too long. Ultimately, the book played out in an interesting/disturbing way. Gabriel was well developed as a character. Rita felt flat too much. It might ave helped to develop her childhood more, as well as have her flashback to the near death incident to create more emotional context for her. It made them uneven in the novel.

All in all, This is a 3.4 stars rounded down to 3. I don't regret reading it but it just did not resonate for me. I think there is a large audience for this novel though.

I really enjoyed Shutter because it was such a unique crime solving story (and let’s be honest there isn’t much unique left in that genre), so I was excited to see this sequel. In some ways it was perfect and in other ways I wanted more, but overall I think I am pleased and hoping there will be more. I listened to the audiobook and I felt like the narrator did a good job for the story. The voice suits this character quite well. While it could probably be read as a standalone I strongly recommend reading Shutter before this one. Rita is pulled back to work despite not being certain it’s the right thing to do. When she has her own loss she decides it’s time to finally return home. The ghosts she sees seem to have a stronger pull on her since she briefly died and she’s struggling with ignoring them. And despite her move home and leaving her job, the dead are not willing to leave her alone. I really like the Navajo culture in this one and hope to get more of a glimpse as this series continues.

I feel in love with Rita in her first book, Shutter, which I highly recommend reading first. Rita is still recovering from this events at the beginning of this book. Ramona Emerson really knows how to be open a book with a gut punch. If children bring hurt is not quite your thing I don’t suggest this book.

This is the 2nd book in this series about a forensic photographer named Rita, who can see ghosts. She has seen them her whole life. The 1st book in this series saw Rita's upbringing and had Rita taking down one of her own, a police officer who was profiting off drugs busts. This book focuses on life right after the last book with Rita in Alburquerque, however, the police have not only heard the rumors of her seeing ghosts, but now they are weary of her because she called out an officer. As more bodies pile up, more ghosts appear, Rita's health takes a toll, and she quits her job and moves back with her grandmother. I love the family component, especially of a Navajo woman, the paranormal aspects of her life, and her talent as a photographer. There are so many layers to Ramona Emerson's writing, and I love how she weaved a story.

I loved this brilliant book! I caught up on the first one, “Shutter” before listening to this one and it’s a great scene setter, but I do think this works well as a standalone if you want to go straight in.

I love well written supernatural and I absolutely loathe badly written or over done supernatural - Ramona Emerson gets it spot on! Her main character, Ruby, sees ghosts of the murder victims she is photographing for forensics and they often give her information that is crucial to the case, but the police detectives refuse to take her seriously, often giving her curious stares as she works, knowing of her gift, but unwilling or unable to acknowledge and accept it.

Some of the ghosts are sweet, some are nasty and threaten Ruby, some are downright persistent and some are quite funny, in a sad kind of way.

The character development is so well done, I feel like I actually know Ruby and her grandmother personally. The plot is gripping and immersive with alternate chapters from Ruby’s POV and from the killer.

Charley Flyte’s narration was great and I hope there’s more to come !

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Ramona Emerson and RB Media for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I absolutely love Shutter by @reelindian and the follow up novel Exposure is a haunting sequel. We pick up with Navajo forensic photographer, Rita Todacheene, where the prior novel left off.

Rita is a talented forensic photographer who also is able see and communicate with ghosts. In this book, she is pulled back home to the Navajo reservation where she grew up and her grandmother still lives. Unfortunately, there is a serial killer who is targeting Native people. Will Rita and her special abilities be able to put a stop to this murderer.

I highly recommend both of Ramona’s books especially if you enjoy supernatural crime fiction, dual POVs, and strong female protagonist.

Thank you @recordedbooks for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website.

3.5 rounded up. I really loved the first book so was excited to see that it got a sequel.

The premise still stands as really cool. A forensic photographer can see the ghosts and they haunt her until she can figure out their cases.

It just felt a little flat. I dunno I was hoping for… more with Rita and her indigenous roots and connection to her power and I think the focus being on the case and the second pov just didn’t keep me as engaged. I didn’t really care about the catholic guy and just wanted more Rita and her grandmother. The second pov kinda took out the mystery of it and left it a bit predictable.

I’d still continue the series tho.

Thanks to netgalley and Recorded Books for an alc