I never know what to expect from S.E. Redfearn in terms of content, but I do know never to start one of her books unless I have several hours to get lost in her words. This one was no exception.

The premise of Two Good Men had me intrigued: it centers on two men on a quest for justice from two very different angles. Dick Raynes sets out to protect his sister from Otis Parsons, a violent criminal recently released from prison. But Dick’s mission escalates when he uses his scientific knowledge to develop a formula that predicts which offenders are likely to strike again—leading him down a dark path where he becomes judge, jury, and executioner. On the opposite side is Steve Patterson, an FBI agent running a department designed to protect those who've paid their debt to society. When Steve uncovers a disturbing pattern of deaths among recently released felons, he starts to investigate, unaware that he's chasing a vigilante—and also unknowingly falling for Dick's sister, Dee, who is tangled in the case.

I've been fascinated with the idea of vigilante justice since I devoured the Dexter series (the novels and the show). Redfearn's take on it was masterfully tense and thought-provoking, raising questions about morality, science, and the flaws in our justice system. The narration was perfect as well.

Pick this up if you're a fan of morally ambiguous "heroes" and plots that will raise as many questions as they answer. A phenomenal listen.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narrator(s): ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes, etc: Vigilante Justice
POV: Multiple, 3rd Person

Brief Summary: When the pedophile who molested a friend’s brother is released from prison, Dick feels compelled to take matters into his own hands to ensure the safety of his sister and nephew. Steve, a divorced FBI Agent who ensures sex offenders get a fair shake after serving their time, doesn’t agree with Dick’s vigilante justice.

The Praise: I really love vigilante stories. More often than not, the law fails us when we need it most, so I enjoy reading about someone actually doing something about it.
I enjoyed the romance between Steve and Dee, it was very sweet.

The Critique: Steve was just kind of annoying at points. I understand how his backstory contributes to why he does what he does, but he has to know that his son wasn’t the same as these men who raped children. Sure, the law should be fair, but what was stopping Steve from just looking the other way?

Final Thoughts: This was pretty good, just a bit frustrating at times.

What an ingenious novel S.E. Redfearn has penned! With a complex clever plot, but not one that you can't follow, it keeps the reader's attention from the start. I can't wait to discover more jewels from this author. My thanks to Blackstone Publishing for providing an audio copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Audio Book review - moral dilemmas and heroes coming from two different angles makes this a disturbingly clever story excellently told by Curt Bonnem. The pace of the story, although slow to start, grabbed me and the twists that you encounter along the way make for an uncomfortable questioning of morality. The narrator really caught the essence of the narrative and made the pace of it perfect. Definitely one to listen to. The ultimate question at the end is "what would you do?"

The narrator Curt Bonnem did a spectacular job! While I would’ve loved hearing the story told by another person, it was great. This cat and mouse story was so good and I was on the edge of my seat in every chapter.

I especially loved the pacing of this all, it didn’t feel like it was hours long. It’s well developed and you get so engrossed in the world with everything going on. I felt happy and scared for all these character.

Overall this was a great listen, I cannot recommend it enough!! Thank you for the ALC Blackstone

Dee testified against her neighbor when she was seventeen. He had raped her boyfriend, ultimately, causing his death. She still lives in her childhood home and is raising her eleven year old son as a single parent. Then she hears that Otis is being released from prison early. He previously threatened to come for her son. Dee's brother, Dick, is determined to protect his sister and nephew. He is a chemist and when he learns that Otis is allergic to peanuts, he comes up with a plan. Otis is no longer a problem. But Dick can't get over it. He creates an algorithm to determine the likelihood a released child predator will reoffend. And he makes it his mission to stop him.
Steve, and FBI agent, is determined to protect these men. He knows not all of them are terrible. He finds Otis's death suspicious and quickly zeroes in on Dick. He knows Dick was just protecting his family. Can he blame him? Can he look the other way?

I very much enjoyed this quasi cat and mouse story. The characters, and the plot, were very dynamic. It was not a simple story- it was complicated and had you questioning what is right and what is wrong.

The ending... perfection!

Curt Bonnem narrates the audiobook. While I enjoyed his narration, I do wish each POV had their own narrator. However, the switch between POVs was obvious, so it wasn't an issue. Just a preference.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This one was a compelling and thought-provoking surprise. It sounded like something I would enjoy, but it was much more than that. It was dark and disturbing, yet more of a slow-burn cat and mouse, with excellent pacing and exceptionally well developed characters. This book has you thinking and questioning your stance when it comes to good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, and justice vs. revenge. I listened to the audiobook version, which was extremely well done. A huge thank you to NetGalley, S.E. Redfearn, and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest review. SO GOOD!

This was definitely different than anything I have read before. It was so captivating, dark and disturbing and I was here for it. It was slow in some parts but the twists and turns made up for it.

This gripping psychological thriller had me invested from the start. This book really makes you ponder the meaning of justice and where that line should be drawn. Who is responsible to ensure the law is upheld and crimes are not repeated? That’s something Dick and Steve both have strong opinions on. Some parts of this book are difficult to digest as it addresses some very disturbing topics. The character development in this story is top notch, and I enjoyed getting to know Dick and Steve. I loved the internal struggle both dealt with of what exactly is right vs wrong. If you can stomach the topic, I recommend checking out this book. I listened to the audiobook version, which was very well done. That you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I got 37% into this and gave up. It’s not that it was bad. In fact, the writing was pretty good. I just couldn’t concentrate or follow the three storylines. I think this is a fault of my own and not the author’s.

I REALLY liked this one. I confess it freely - I am enjoying the revenge genre, particularly in audio format. I find that listening, particularly when the narrator captures the emotional range (from the fragility of survivors and victims to the self-righteous anger and indignation of the vengeance seekers) makes for an extra satisfying experience. Redfearn does a really fantastic job capturing the pathos of her characters, making it easy to empathize across the spectrum of human emotions represented. The pacing and characterizations are very well managed and draw the reader in from the opening pages and refuse to let go until the bitter end. It's not an easy story to listen to - there is a lot of trauma and dark violent pathology here - but it is a very rewarding one on the whole.

Wow! Well, this was very different!! Very original!!

And, from the authors note at the end, it was her second novel…just renamed, and I guess re-worked! But, phenomenal! (And I see that she now has seven under her belt!) I’ll definitely be looking 👀 for more from her!!

Meet Dick. He’s a middle aged, working class, kind of guy. He’s also a scientist. And if his original breakthrough had taken off like he thought it would, well, he’d be a very wealthy man…

Meet Dee. She’s Dick’s sister. She has an 11 year old son (Jesse) who is precious to her…and her brother. The three of them are very close.

Meet Otis. A pedofile. He’s in jail for raping kids…young boys… and Dee is the one who put him there. He’s written to her from jail, telling her that he can’t wait to see her, and her son, when he gets out. 😮🫣 (This is where I’d be looking to get a gun permit…)

And lastly, meet Steve. He’s FBI. He lost his son at a young age, after mistakenly being thought of as someone else. His mission in life now is to try to protect, basically the scum of the earth, those who prey on and abuse young children…

That’s all I’m giving! If you think it sounds good, definitely pick it up!
Trust me when I say this is JUST THE BEGINNING…and the spirals and u-turns it takes along the way will have your mouth hanging open… (or just dragging on the floor, like mine…)

But wow! What a gift this was! I’m not one to give out 5 stars very freely, but this one deserves every single one of them, and more!

It really makes you think. 🤔 You’ll be asking yourself…what would I do in the same situation?? And the ending?? Priceless!!

#TwoGoodMen by #SuzanneRedfearn (#SERedfearn) and narrated beautifully by #CurtBonnem.

5+ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨✨ for me!!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BlackstonePublishingAudiobooks for an ARC of this one that was recently released, and I was lucky enough to receive a copy of, yesterday!! Look 👀 for it on shelves NOW!!

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