⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars (Outstanding)
Setting: Clear River, Texas
Genre: Thriller; Mystery

From its opening pages, this novel grips you with a steady pace that never lets up. Set against the stormy backdrops of a Texas night, the story introduces us to Luke Conway—a determined off-duty cop whose life is already in upheaval—and Carrie, his wife, still reeling from a haunting past tragedy. The narrative wastes no time, thrusting the reader into a perplexing mystery that is as addictive as it is suspenseful.

Luke’s frantic decision on that fateful, rain-soaked road sets off a chain of events that propel the entire book forward. As he grapples with the strange encounter and the unsettling feeling of responsibility for something—or someone—lost in the darkness, the tension builds steadily. The novel oscillates seamlessly between heart-pounding action and moments of reflective intensity, drawing you deeper into a labyrinth of secret investigations and buried truths.

The subplot involving three girls who venture into the woods, only for one to emerge, adds an eerie and compelling layer of mystery that intertwines with the main narrative. This chilling element keeps the suspense coiled tight, making every page turn a discovery of horrifying implications and unanswered questions.

What makes this book truly addictive is its masterful balance of mystery and emotional depth. The characters are richly drawn, their internal battles mirroring the external turmoil of their surroundings. As Luke and Carrie navigate their troubled pasts and the secrets lurking in Clear River, the reader is taken on a relentless journey that challenges perceptions and defies expectations.

For anyone seeking a novel that combines relentless pacing, intricate mysteries, and deep emotional resonance, this book is an absolute must-read. Its addictive narrative and unwavering suspense make it a standout in the genre—a thriller that will haunt you long after the final page is turned. #netgalley #iftwoaredead #booked_this_weekend

3⭐️

I'm conflicted on this one. It appears most people have loved this so far so I might be the odd one out but this was just okay for me. It was a bit too much of a slow burn for me until about the last quarter of the book and then the pace flew. I did like the mystery of who attacked Carrie and the two other girls in high school and all the different possibilities that entailed. I definitely wasn't able to guess who did it and was constantly changing my opinion on everyone throughout the book. I also really liked Luke joining this small town sheriff station after having been a part of LAPD and how he tried to sneak around and investigated on his own. Even though he grew up in a small town near by, he didn't seem to remember that you get away with nothing when everyone knows everyone.

One of the advantages of Rick Mofina's writing is that he's a former crime reporter who's interviewed death row inmates. I had high expectations of a police procedural just based on that and this fell kind of flat for me. I also found Carrie's mother's cause of death to be odd. It was repeatedly said that she had a 'brain seizure' and died. That just feels redundant for for me since even if it wasn't an epileptic seizure, it would still be caused by trauma to the brain.

Thanks Netgalley, MIRA, and Harlequin Audio for providing this ARC to me!

I enjoyed this narrator - I did listen at 1X for a bit to get the feel of it, but them moved to 1.5 and 1.75 and both speeds were still great! The book flowed nicely and it kept my attention throughout!

This was a great book! I knew from the beginning that something was fishy and just wished Carrie and Luke would just talk to each other! I felt their struggles, but the whole non-/mis- communication thing made things tense!!
It was great to see the community who did support Carrie, and how they were there for her as she tried to re-acclimate herself with her town while tying to remember things long buried!
I was feeling that there would be a twist in there..... but not quite the twist that twisted!! I will definitely read another of Mofina's books!

Thank you to Harper Audio for my gifted ALC!

What I thought was going to be a popcorn thriller turned out to be something so much more emotional than I expected. There was a scene in this book centered around the death penalty, and it was so visceral that the entire world surrounding me fell away. It makes sense after the authors note why this scene was so impactful. That alone wasn’t what made this story so good - the writing and the characters were so well developed that it was hard to not find pieces of your own family members within them. Brilliant story, brilliant writing, wonderfully surprising twist at the end. Slam dunk.

I love Ricks books. Luke and Carrie return to Texas when her dad’s health declines. Carrie was involved in an incident in high school in which two girls were murdered. She doesn’t remember what happened, but half the town thinks she’s guilty. Meanwhile, Luke had an incident as a cop in CA and now there is an incident in Texas he’s involved in. Who killed the girls?

This book has a lot going on! I was hooked right from the start. It was fast paced and compulsive. I thought the narrator did a great job with the narration too.

Carrie and her husband look both have a lot of trauma from both current and past events. The way the author brought it all together in the end was interesting. I don’t want to say too much because it could all be easy to spoil!

I definitely recommend listening to this audiobook if you enjoy thrillers that involve small town drama and police procedure.

What a great tale! I figured it out, which is always fun for me, but I loved all the suspense along the way. Small towns are the best, aren't they? What a tangled web of history and a very accurate depiction of PTSD in multiple forms. A great, suspenseful read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

There were so many layers to this thriller.

The story starts off very strong. A crime is committed by the MMC…a hit and run. The reason he runs is because he does not want to add more stress to his wife. His wife happens to the line survivor of a cold case murder whom she also happens to be a suspect in.

She also happens to be the daughter of a retired law enforcement officer. Her father was also a suspect in his wife’s deaths.

Like I said, layers.

We technically solve three different investigations that are going on throughout the story. The main investigation happens to be what actually happened with the wife’s case. I was not expecting the end.

The narrator did a great job. He was able to convey everyone’s point of view with clarity.

A couple, trying to save their marriage, move to the wife’s hometown to help take care of her dying father. Unfortunately, on the drive there, the husband strikes something with his car. Instead of calling for help, he flees the scene, telling himself it was probably just an animal. And then he hears about the three friends who went hiking in the woods, and the fact that only two of them came back out.