Irene Rivers moves her family to an old family ranch in West Virginia, wanting to get away from all of the press from D.C., where she was the Director of the F.B.I., now a former Director after taking down the President and others. Her people, though,h people will not let her live that down. It only becomes worse when her nephew discovers bones on her property, which sends the people responsible for the act into a panic, and they end up killing more people, which puts her on guard, and then she goes after the people who are after her family. A very good book from start to finish, with many different characters, but they all add to the story. Very much worth the read.

I need more Irene Rivers!

Former FBI Director Irene Rivers is a recurring character in the Jonathan Grave series by John Gilstrap. In Burned Bridges, the start of a new series, we see a different side to Irene. She burned her career in the latest book of the Jonathan Grave series. She took the President of the United States down with her. Irene has moved to rural West Virginia on property inherited from her grandparents. With her are her children, 16-year-old daughter, Kelly, and nephew 12-year-old Wyatt. Irene is trying to start over as a PI while staying under the radar with the press.

Staying under the radar is impossible once Wyatt discovers a skeleton in a cave on the property. Things are not as idyllic as they seem in the backwoods of West Virginia. Targeted in a scandal Kelly enlists help from Venice, a tech guru employee of Jonathan Grave. There is an undercurrent of danger running through Jenkins County and it has been around a long time. Something is rotten and Irene doesn’t know how far the corruption goes. When her new PI case runs afoul of the criminals in the county, she is hard-pressed to keep herself and her children safe.

Burned Bridges is a great start to an exciting new series. I loved the story and it has a different flavour than the Graves books. There is more mystery than your standard thriller but it still has plenty of action and intrigue. Irene is a competent bad-ass woman juxtaposed with her complex family situation. She is somewhat floundering with the pitfalls of raising two teenagers. This is an endearing storyline that allows us to see her as a whole person and not just a powerful woman. I laughed at many of the snarky conversations between her and her kids. The story is fast-paced and suspenseful. It is a thoroughly enjoyable read and I am eager for the next book in the series. You don’t need to read the other series to enjoy this book, but I highly recommend both series.

Thanks to Kensington Publishing for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.

After taking down a corrupt President and losing her career with the FBI Irene Rivers is looking for a quiet life. She has moved to the wrong place, corrupt politicians and locals who keep the citizens in fear and she has somehow landed in the middle. This book is edge of your seat suspense, I didn’t want to put it down. It is the start of a new series by this author and I look forward to reading the next book. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I was eagerly awaiting this spinoff of Irene Rivers following the blurb that was included in the last Jonathan Grave book, so was pleased to receive this ARC for review. In Burned Bridges, Irene has moved to the "quiet" life of retirement at her grandparents old farmhouse in rural West Virginia. Little did she know there's also quite the murderous hillbilly family gang in this town as well, which is my first problem with the retired director of the FBI not doing a little research on where she'll live with her children, but that's a minor quibble. The story itself revolves around an old body that her nephew and their dog find in a cave on their property which brings all kinds of trouble out of the woodwork. All in all a decent first foray into Irene's new life, but the cliffhanger at the end leaves me excited to see where the series goes from here. Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the early read in exchange for my honest opinion. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.. Burned Bridges by John Gilstrap is a thrilling and suspenseful novel that is a truly enjoyable read. I love both the Graves and Emerson novels, and this new series more than lives up to those. I will happily recommend this novel to others, and I look forward to the next installment in the series.

In Burned Bridges, a former director of the FBI who forced a president from office retires to...West Virginia? That's only the start of the oddities in this novel, Burned Bridges. It turns out that Irene Rivers has moved to a very corrupt area of West Virginia, and she and her children are not safe. Author John Gilstrap attempts a lot in the writing of this story, much of it works well and entertains the reader, but I submit that he went too far on a couple of things. One would be the issue of people viewing pornography on phones. Once Irene's daughter has her own nude pix revealed online, Irene not only uses a FBI connection to have them removed, but then turns the tables on everyone who viewed the photos by revealing all of that person's porn viewing on their phones. Not necessary at all to the tale at hand. That tale reaches its predictable conclusion but author Gilstrap isn't done. He has Irene going after more bad guys who have taken her children. It's a lengthy scene at the end of the novel and I just didn't have the energy left to enjoy it.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was a strong start to the Irene Rivers series, it had that thriller element that I was looking for and was engaged with what was happening. The characters had that feel that I was looking for and enjoyed getting into this world. It had that tension and was engaged with what was happening. John Gilstrap has a strong writing style and left me wanting to read more in this world and from John Gilstrap.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC. .

Burned Bridges by John Gilstrap is a thrilling and suspenseful novel that is a truly enjoyable read.

Gilstrap is a master of the thriller genre, and this book is no exception.

He has created a complex and compelling protagonist in Irene Rivers, a former FBI Director who is trying to escape her past. The Irene Rivers character is one of my favorites in the mystery / police procedural genres; I love how Gilstrap puts her in seemingly insurmountable situations, requiring her to react with outside-the-box resolutions

Irene's past catches up with her in the small town of Lost Creek, West Virginia, where she is drawn into a dangerous conspiracy.

The plot of Burned Bridges is intricate and fast-paced, and Gilstrap does a great job of building suspense. The characters are well-developed and believable, and the dialogue is sharp and realistic. The action scenes are exciting and extremely well-written.

Irene Rivers is a sympathetic character, a hero we can cheer for and relate to. and her journey of self discovery is compelling and inspiring. The supporting characters are equally well-drawn, and they add depth and complexity to this story.

Burned Bridges is an excellent thriller that will appeal to John Gilstrap fans, and any reader who is looking for a suspenseful and thought-provoking top quality novel.

This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys action-packed thrillers with complex characters and compelling themes.

I loved Burned Bridges, and I hope Gilstrap continues developing this character and giving her a series of her own - we need more strong female heroes.

I rated this book five out of five stars.

I don't know if it's good or bad but Burned Bridges by John Gilstrap kept me up all night reading and enjoying what a master storyteller he is. Irene Rivers mostly known from the Jonathan Grave series but she actually appeared in a stand alone before that, is back. She now has her own series and the first book is wonderful. She is no longer head of FBI but has retired to a small rural community, but it is not easy trying to fit in and it is extra hard on her two teenagers. Ther is something really bad going on and suddenly she and her family is right in the middle of it all. I must recommend this author since he writes such a good story and his books are a pure pleasure to read. I also thank Kensington Books and Netgalley for letting me read this advance copy that will hit the shelves in the end of May 2025.

John Gilstrap has launched a spinoff series from his terrific Jonathan Grave thrillers. Burned Bridges is the first book featuring Irene Rivers. Yes, that Irene Rivers. The former FBI Director has left DC behind and relocated to West Virginia. Little does she know her family has landed in a very corrupt corner of the world. Rivers and her family suddenly face threats from all directions. Will Rivers find any allies? Will there be a cameo by anyone from the Jonathan Grave series? You'll have to find out for yourselves. You'll be entertained. While it's not as strong as a Jonathan Grave book, there's enough here to make the reader want to see a second Irene Rivers adventure. Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have read most of the Jonathan Grave series and knew about his friend from the government, Irene Rivers. This book totally opened up on her backstory and gave her a whole new feel. Adding the children to her care made this book a page-turner. As she moves to West Virginia to escape the treachery and backstabbing of DC, she finds herself in the middle of it again. A dead body from many years ago is found in a cave on her property. She comes across a corrupt group of people who are all trying to keep the secrets of the past and corruption of the present out of the light. A really fun book and a good read. I like how her personality came out and really look forward to where this family goes and what Ms. Rivers is up to in the future.

John Gilstrap's Burned Bridges, Book 1 in a new series based on Irene Rivers, the disavowed FBI director who brought down a President, is an all-out hit. It starts tamely enough with Irene trying to start her new life as an investigator in rural lands without the heavy politics that absorbed her world when her adopted son finds a long dead body buried on her property, land inherited from her mother. Though Irene doesn’t know the background, this body is part of a deep and ancient secret meant to stay buried and everyone involved will do whatever it takes to keep it that way. The problem is two-fold: Irene's family is now involved and in not such a good way, and second, Irene is far to curious and smart to allow sleeping dog's lie, especially when they are covering for evil men.

The story is Irene’s, but the author tells it through the voice of both the eighth grade precocious son who found the body and Irene herself, divested of her FBI badge and gun but not her innate ability to connect dots and pull threads.  Occasionally through the story--though rarely--Irene calls for help from names we grew to love in the earlier series, but I'm not sure that will continue or if it's just to remind us as readers of how great the character pool is behind Irene. This is an excellent start to a new series. I look forward to the next.

As a long time fan of the Johnathon Grave series, I couldn't hit request fast enough for this new book featuring Irene Rivers. This was a great story full of twists and turns as Irene and her kids try to build a new life off the grid after leaving Washington. I can't wait for more in this series (at least I sure hope it becomes a full series). Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my review.

4.5 Stars

I am already a huge fan of Mr. Gilstrap and his Jonathan Grave Series, so I was excited to see that there was going to be an Irene Rivers spinoff. Former FBI Director Rivers recently left her position after pretty much blowing up the Washington establishment by bringing to light all the corruption, including implicating the sitting President. To 50% of the population, she is a hero, to the other 50%, she is a traitor.

Irene has moved out of DC to a small town in West Virginia with her two children (her 17 year old daughter and her 12 year old nephew that she is raising as her own). She mistakenly thought she could just kind of fade away into private life - but that doesn't seem to be the way things happen.

To start things off, the town that she chose has been ruled by a large family whose corruption has its tenacles in every branch of the government - the police department, the mayor's office, the prosecutor's office.....and they do NOT like someone coming in and ruffling feathers.

Things start off with a bang - they find a body on her land and then the action just picks up speed with all kinds of crazy events. I really enjoyed this book and felt the level of tension just build and build until a pretty dramatic climax. Irene had already established herself as an interesting character with Mr. Gilstrap, but we really get to meet her and see what she is made of in this initial book. I also really enjoyed the kids -especially her nephew - he was the surprise character for me and boy oh boy did he surprise me.....in a good way.

So, yes. I am definitely on board with this new series and looking forward to the next book in this series. Can't wait.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone. This book will be out for publication on May 27, 2025.

I'm not sure how I feel about her not being a major part of the Jonathan Graves series anymore, but I sure liked the first installment of her very own series.

With Irene off the grid , or so she thinks, it's a bit shocking when the police show up at her door. The more that happens, the more she realizes that she is no longer incognito.

Read her new beginnings in their new town here.

I received this ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

Great to see Irene get top billing! She has played second fiddle to Jonathan in the author’s previous stories. Here the former FBI director is left to her own rescue as she’s moved to coal country in West Virginia. Making the wrong guy angry has painted a target on her back and the backs of those she cares for.. How she escapes this conundrum makes for a great story.

John Gilstrap’s new novel featuring “Irene Rivers” will definitely be on my “watch for more list”. Great, suspenseful read featuring a strong woman in typically male dominated field.
Irene can hold her own against Mitch Rapp and Jack Reacher,

AVID READER