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I should reread it in ten-fifteen years, I might like it more then. The story wasn't bad, it had a lot of twists closer to the end, but I couldn't connect with the book or the characters. The plot was tragic and depressing. I expected dark and cozy atmosphere, and there wasn't actually anything to feel. All those town legends stayed told descriptive formalities and didn't have any influence on the vibes.

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Thanks to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for providing me with this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book is going to be EVERYWHERE this fall.
I am a huge Halloween/thriller mystery fan and being able to read a book like this in the middle of march was just everything I needed! This book will have you guessing until the VERY END. The characters are great. the writing is great. And like any good mystery thriller there were plenty of twist and turns! Im in shock this is a debut novel! Cannot wait to see what else this author can create! And will definitely be rereading this fall!
And can I just say this cover is everything! Love when a good book gets and equally good cover!

I honestly think a little piece of my soul died at the ending of this book 😓😓 I am stunned that this is a debut, the writing is phenomenal, the plot so well thought out with such character depth / development and completely unexpected twists.

I need a book two just so I can see how Delores is doing after everything that happens, I need to make sure my girl is okay and happy 🥺🥺

The vibes were immaculate, small town that is absurdly obsessed with Halloween, two legacy family’s feuding in the midst of a murder mystery / serial killer spree .. what more can you actually ask for?!

This book is the thriller of your dreams and you seriously need to read it. If anybody is as emotionally invested as me with these characters and needs to form a support group please reach out to me 😂

Thank you for the gifted copy!! And seriously add this to your tbr shelf for the release date which is: September 16th 2025 💛

A great debut from Rachel Louise Adams, No Rest For The Wicked will be a perfect suspenseful Halloween read when it’s released in the fall.

By turns mysterious, scary, and disturbing- (the MC Delores’ trauma is almost another character in the book) this surprising thriller kept me guessing. I thought I’d figured it out, but the ending was a shock.

Really well done, I’ll be recommending this title to mystery and thriller readers at my shop.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC copy!

I really enjoyed the plot of this book but the execution of it felt messy. I enjoyed the plot, the mystery, even the conversations between characters, however when switching between all of the point of views you lose a little bit of connection. Overall it is a great quick read for spooky season!

Perfect for spooky season! I absolutely loved it! Can’t believe it’s Rachel’s debut novel! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc!

I really enjoyed this mystery! I finished this book in two days because I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
Small town politics, murder, family secrets, past trauma, gory details, and a badass FMC.
I loved trying to solve the mysteries on my own, and the ending was very satisfying! Not to mention the story takes place around (and on!) Halloween, which makes this the perfect holiday thriller.
Overall, I recommend this for anyone who wants a satisfying mystery with a fun setting, actual strong FMC, unsolved murders, autopsies, and dark family secrets.

TW: some parts may be triggering for survivors of SA.

This book had all the ingredients of a fantastic read — strong writing, unexpected twists, and a memorable ending. Unfortunately, it took far too long to deliver on those promises. While the prose was skillful and the character development was solid, the pacing dragged considerably. I often found myself feeling like I was pushing through chapters out of obligation rather than genuine interest.

The story's buildup felt excessive, with too many detours and drawn-out descriptions that dulled my excitement. I kept waiting for the plot to pick up, and while the payoff was undeniably rewarding, I wish it had arrived sooner. The final twists were clever and impactful, leaving me satisfied yet frustrated that it took so long to get there.

I really wanted to love this mystery, and in some ways, I still appreciate it. The author clearly knows how to craft compelling scenes and memorable characters. If you enjoy slow burns with a strong finish, this might be a great choice for you. But if you're looking for a gripping read that hooks you early and keeps you engaged throughout, this one might test your patience.

In the end, I’m glad I stuck with it, but I can’t say I always enjoyed the journey. 3.5 ⭐️ from me!

The pacing is tight in this book, the suspense is relentless, and the twists are unexpected, making for a great read. The author weaves the story together very well. I didn’t see the twists coming. rating read. I really enjoyed this book. There are a few sub plots taking place and I thought they all came together really well. No loose ends or plot holes.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.

No Rest for the Wicked by Rachel Louise Adams is a great contemporary murder/mystery that is perfect for the upcoming fall season.

This is the first book I have read by Ms Adams and I was definitely impressed.

The pacing, plot, mysteries left and right, twists, and surprises really added to the overall spooky, Halloween theme. This is not a cozy mystery by any means, but wasn’t extreme concerning the faint of heart either.

I will definitely read another book by this author and highly recommend this one if you like murder/mysteries, anything Halloween-themed, and suspenseful plots.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/16/25.

Book Review: No Rest for the Wicked by Rachel Louise Adams

Rachel Louise Adams delivers a knockout debut with No Rest for the Wicked, a gripping thriller packed with eerie small-town secrets, political intrigue, and a haunting mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end.

Forensic pathologist Dolores Hawthorne never planned to return to Little Horton, Wisconsin—a town famous for its over-the-top Halloween celebrations and its long history of gruesome deaths tied to the holiday. But when the FBI calls to inform her that her father, a former mayor turned U.S. senator, has gone missing, she has no choice but to face the past she spent nearly twenty years trying to escape.

From the moment Dolores sets foot back in town, nothing feels right. Her stepmother is openly hostile, her estranged half-siblings are strangers to her, and old friends—including a police officer who hasn’t forgotten the way she vanished years ago—greet her with suspicion. Then there’s the cryptic warning her father left before disappearing: trust no one.

As Dolores begins digging into her father’s disappearance, disturbing connections to another decades-old crime emerge—the unsolved case of a local high school girl who vanished in 2003. Flashbacks unravel the shocking fallout between two of the town’s most powerful families, the Hawthornes and the Alexanders, forcing Dolores to finally confront the real reason she left. But with Halloween approaching and Little Horton’s dark past closing in, she realizes she might not survive long enough to uncover the truth.

Adams masterfully blends past and present, unraveling a tightly wound mystery filled with chilling atmosphere, complex family drama, and jaw-dropping twists. The pacing is relentless, and just when you think you have it figured out, another revelation flips the story on its head. The eerie Halloween backdrop adds another layer of suspense, from local legends to unsettling character names (Officer Butcher, anyone?).

Dolores is a fantastic protagonist—sharp, determined, and deeply flawed in a way that makes her feel real. The tension between her and the people from her past, especially the brooding FBI Agent Wyatt and the bitter town sheriff, adds to the novel’s emotionally charged depth. While the mystery is front and center, Adams also weaves in themes of privilege, corruption, and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets.

This book is impossible to put down. Whether you love psychological thrillers, true crime-inspired mysteries, or eerie, small-town settings, No Rest for the Wicked is the perfect read—especially for spooky season. And with an ending that leaves the door open for more, I really hope this isn’t the last we see of Dolores Hawthorne.

I enjoyed this thriller a lot. I loved the Halloween theming and the past/present back and forth. It had some nice twists and was a quick engaging read.

I really enjoyed this book. I am a sucker for anything set during Halloween. I love all things spooky and mysterious and this book didn’t disappoint.

It follows Dolores aka Dolls, who is a successful forensic pathologist living in Los Angeles when she gets a call that her dad is missing. She returns to her small hometown of Little Horton for the first time in almost two decades. Little Horton is obsessed with Halloween and is just one more reason Dolores would rather be back in L.A. The bodies start piling up as Dolores deals with integrating back into her family and trying to figure out where her dad is. Then there is the mystery of the girl that went missing shortly before Dolores headed to L.A. all those years ago. Whatever happened to her and does it have anything to do with her dad’s sudden disappearance?

The author weaves the story together very well. I didn’t see the twists coming. She gave just enough of the past woven with the present that I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next.

I definitely recommend checking this one out!

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review*

Who said monsters aren’t real? Sometimes, they’re the people you know best. Especially at Halloween.

Okay-how is this a debut novel? It is so good. I chose this book because it’s a thriller set in a Midwest town at Halloween. And I loved it because it was a thriller set in a Midwest town at Halloween. The characters are great. The writing is great. This book took many twists and when I thought I had it all figured out-nope that was just part. I cannot recommend this book enough. I’d give it 6 stars if I could.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions stated are my own.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC copy!
This book really captures the halloween vibes and I love it for that! The pacing was very well done and kept me wanting more! Would definitely recommend to anyone who loves halloween and needs something to add to their fall reading!

This made a dreary beginning of March feel like Halloween! I loved this and will absolutely be getting for my friends who love some spooky for the Fall!

Halloween came early for me with this book! I loved that the story takes place near Halloween and I couldn’t wait to find out the twist, I did sort of see it coming. I will say there were a lot of characters that at times I was lost, but overall this is a fast and good read

4.5 stars rounded up. This is a perfect mystery for the Halloween season. I read it in March, but it mentally transported me to October, which is the highest compliment I can pay to any book. The story was set in a small town with charming aesthetics, and not-so-charming people. There were enough characters to keep you guessing, but not so many that it would get confusing. The characters were interesting and the multiple POVs were done well. The pacing was good throughout. There was never a point where I was bored. I definitely did NOT see the twist coming. The cover is also 5/5. If you are a mystery lover, this is a must-read for spooky season. Thank you to Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you will be looking for spooky books for the Halloween season this year then this book should definitely be on your list.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.