Secrets, Silence, and Shattered Truths – A Gripping Psychological Thriller

We Don’t Talk About Emma by J.D. Barker and E.J. Findorff is a haunting and suspenseful psychological thriller that immediately pulls you in and refuses to let go.

When a long-buried family tragedy resurfaces, the silence surrounding Emma’s disappearance begins to unravel. What follows is a tense, emotionally charged journey through secrets, lies, and the lasting impact of grief. The authors do an excellent job of building suspense while exploring the emotional weight of trauma and the complexities of family loyalty.

Tightly plotted and full of twists, the story keeps you guessing until the final reveal. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, Barker and Findorff deliver another surprise. The characters are flawed and relatable, making their experiences feel all the more real.

This is a gripping, fast-paced read perfect for fans of domestic thrillers and emotionally rich mysteries.

4.5 stars – Unsettling in the best way. Highly recommended!

Thank you NetGalley!

Wow! What a read - a great thriller that had me hooked. JD barker is a favourite of mine and he delivered here, crime suspense, twists, and so much more going on

I love JD. Barker. But this book did not hook me, keep me interested. I am really sorry.

I guess this wasnt for me .

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book! I haven’t heard anything about the authors who wrote this, but it was a good book. I was confused at times and had to reread some pages, but it was easy to understand. The plot was good, and so were the characters but there were quite a few povs that made it hard to remember who’s pov I as reading. I really liked the FMC, and the fact that it was a cop FMC as I haven’t read many books like that but I’d deffo read more like this one. The title was the main reason I requested this arc as it sounded intriguing. I would recommend this book to ppl who like more of a mystery book instead of a thriller book or a mystery-thriller book.

I'll be honest, when I started to read this book I thought it was part of a series and that I had missed out on the reason two people, including New Orleans Detective Nikki Mayeaux, wanted to kill this man, Herman Napleton. Eventually it became clearer but it seemed like an odd way to present the story.

This book was okay and probably better if you can read it in a shorter time period than I did. I kept putting other books ahead of it and then had to backtrack because the story just wasn't staying with me. I did like the character of Nikki and also liked her partner Keith in the beginning, then I thought he was crooked but it turned out he wasn't, I think. As far as Emma, we really didn't get to know her at all and she seemed to be pretty devious for a 16-year-old. I think the book should've been called "Looking for Emma" because that's mostly what was going on! But the choice of New Orleans for the setting was excellent. There's a lot of violence and bloodshed in the story. The ending was quite sweet considering all the characters had been through. This book is a collaboration between J.D. Barker and E.J. Findorff, an author I'm not familiar with, and I suspect it was mostly Mr. Findorff's creation as the chapters are very short (unlike Mr. Barker's usual) and the storyline isn't reminiscent of J.D. Barker's works. I think I'm ready to give up on these collaborations.

TW: Sex trafficking, drug use, graphic violence.

Thank you to Hampton Creek Press, via Netgalley, for providing an ARC of this novel for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: February 4, 2025

I found the characters annoying and unbelievable and I normally love this author which is a shame Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for the ARC. 4/5

I really enjoyed We Don't Talk About Emma. I was hooked from the first paragraph, I devoured it in one sitting.

It was very well written, with likable and complex characters, a compelling storyline, and great twists.
Nikki was an intriguing main character, very relatable.

J.D. Barker is one of my favourite thriller authors. I loved the 4MK trilogy and Behind A Closed Door, especially. I hadn't read any books by E.J. before. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from both authors.

I highly recommend.

4 stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley, Hampton Creek Press, J.D. Barker, and E.J. Findorff for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For this mystery, J.D. Barker has collaborated with E.J. Findorff, a life-long resident of New Orleans where this novel is set. It takes place right before Mardi Gras, so this is the perfect time to read it too.

An NOPD detective named Nikki Mayeaux is just about to take justice into her own hands when someone beats her to it. The killer seems to counting down on a list of five victims--can they be stopped before that happens?

This is a quick, entertaining read with some fun moments. I enjoyed spending time with the main characters in one of my favorite cities. However I found several of the plot twists to be either obvious or unbelievable and some conversations didn't always ring true. This is not one of J.D.'s best efforts but worth reading nevertheless.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc off this new mystery via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own. I actually read a library copy because the arc archived early, before I could download it.

We Don't Talk About Emma by J.D. Barker and E.J. Findorff is a gripping and suspenseful thriller that keeps you hooked until the last page. The mystery unfolds at a perfect pace, with well-placed twists and an eerie atmosphere that adds to the tension. The characters are compelling, though some could have been explored more deeply. While not entirely unpredictable, the storytelling keeps you engaged. A solid 4 stars—dark, intense, and hard to put down.

I may be a complete outlier opinion on this, but it took me a very long time to get into this one. I felt like I dropped into the middle of a duology or series, and felt like I was missing a lot of context with characters and the main storyline. It seemed like there was a whole backstory I wasn’t privy to, and there was a big cast of male characters that took time to separate out and discern between as well. Character development and growth didn’t really happen for me either.
When I got past 60% I was more invested in the story and the twists were intriguing, but this one didn’t live up to Barkers other books that I have loved unfortunately.

Thank you NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

I loved J.D. Barker's work and was excited to try a dual-author book. However, "We Don't Talk About Emma" fell short for me. It did not have the same psychological elements as prior works, possibly due to being by two authors. "We Don't Talk About Emma" is my first introduction to E.J. Findorff, and I went into that aspect blind. I suggest this book if you are looking for a good all-around mystery with a good cast of characters.

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

The main characters, Nikki and Keith, were detectives and likeable despite their flaws. I enjoyed the back and forth between them, and they worked well as partners. It was interesting how well Keith knew Nikki and that he was willing to keep her secrets.

There are quite a few characters, and a list of characters would have been helpful. It was difficult to know who could be trusted or believed. Many of the characters were unusual in their own ways. My favorite character was Dread who was involved with some bad people, but his main goal was to help Emma, a young woman who was in trouble.

There are so many things that come to light as the story goes on. And so many twists! If you’re looking for a good murder mystery, I recommend We Don’t Talk About Emma.

Thank you Netgalley, Hampton Creek Press and JD Barker, E J Findorff for the eArc of We Don't talk about Emma.

Having read a few of J D Barkers books, I was really interested in this collaboration with another author. We Don't Talk about Emma is a Cat and Mouse mystery thriller and poses a few questions at the beginning. Who is Emma? . Together, J D Barker and E J Findorff have combined their writing styles and come up with a good, engaging book with solid characters and a great plot line. I like the dynamics from the characters and it is exactly what's on the tin.

I did find though that this book, even though it was engaging, didn't have the psychological elements that Ive become so accustomed to when reading these type of books. Nonetheless, it was still an enjoyable read. I will be looking out for more from both authors.

I also listened to the audio version of this book in which Piper Goodeve does a great narration.

3.5 stars for Storygraph. 3 Stars for all other sites

3.75/5 stars

I am typically a huge fan of J.D. Barker’s books, but this one wasn’t my favourite. It didn’t have the same heart racing anticipation or psychological thriller twists as I’ve come to expect. I did enjoy the detective with a bond to a criminal aspect with a touch of romance and found family. I thought it was well written. I liked that there were many characters but found it somewhat predictable.

New Orleans is one of my favorite settings for a book and this one doesn't disappoint. This books asks when is murder justified? I really enjoyed this book, it was a longer book, and was a dark gritty tale but it also provided a story with morally grey characters who you come to understand. I would give this book 4 and a half stars.

I usually binge read a J.D Barker book within one sitting but this one is the exception. Over the last few months I've picked it up and put it down so many times and honestly, in the end I was just forcing myself to finish.

Sorry

You know I am looking forward to a book about killing a bunch of sex traffickers and rapists. Weirdly, it came off a little flat and lacked the passion I was hoping it would have. The anger was there but it wasn’t really. I didn’t think any of the characters were more than empty.sketches of real people. It lacked depth. It was, in the end, OK.

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I forgot to download it, so I didn’t get to read it before archive. I’ll purchase it and review :) thank you!

I feel like I wanted so much more from this book. I have loved all of JD Barkers books and maybe had higher expectations. Overall I did like the book and was rooting for the killer. I wanted the killer to get away and not be caught. There were twists at the end that I didn't see coming and I love books that catch me off guard. I think there could have been more to this book but I can't put my finger on what but overall it was a good one and it kept me wanting to know who was next and how they would get away.

A New Orleans detective decides to take the law into her own hands, but someone else beats her to it in We Don't Talk About Emma.

I look forward to the unusual plots of J.D. Barker’s horror books. However, my favorite genre is mystery. When I saw Mr. Barker branching out with the new police procedural, We Don't Talk About Emma, I couldn’t wait to see what type of unique perspective he would have on the genre. However, the plot is a rather mundane tale with few surprises. And the pacing, at least for the first half, is agonizingly slow. Truly, a disappointing read—not bad, just not up to the author’s other works. 3 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for providing me with an advanced review copy.