The Trap

It’s been a year since Lucy’s sister, Nicki, disappeared in Dublin. Nicki is the third woman to disappear in as many years and with no clues or leads, Lucy decides to take the investigation into her own hands. Also involved in the search is Angela, a civilian working for the local police. Most of her time is spent collating and collecting data, but Angela longs to become a police officer, and at first she believes the information she’s uncovered about the missing women could be her entry into law enforcement, but it turns out that it could end her career before it ever began. I don’t know why Howard isn’t a household name, her books are some of the most exciting, tightly plotted books in the genre

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

The characters, the setting, and the story work together to make this a cannot put down novel. This talented author has written a story that is fiction but reads like nonfiction. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Red herrings and secrets work together to keep the reader intrigued. Guessing doesn’t work. Enjoy.

Another hit from Catherine Ryan Howard. Loved this dark, thrilling, fast paced story. This is up there with The Nothing Man and 56 Days for me- definitely recommend!

Lucy's life has been a living nightmare since her sister Nicki vanished without a trace after meeting friends at a Dublin pub a year ago. As the third Irish woman to disappear under mysterious circumstances in as many years, Lucy's agony of not knowing what happened to her sister is overwhelming. Determined to find answers, she takes matters into her own hands.

Meanwhile, Angela longs to join An Garda Síochána, the Irish police force, but is currently working as a civilian paper-pusher in the Missing Persons Unit. With the official investigation into the missing women stalled, Angela starts to pull at a thread that could unravel the entire case, putting her own future in jeopardy.

As a nameless man drives through the night with his latest victim in the back seat, he plans to reveal everything to her, from the beginning. The victim soon realizes that what she doesn't know can hurt her.

I was SO excited for another CRH book and I'm happy to report that she is back with a banger! Just as good as my other favorites by her- 56 Days and The Nothing Man!

Catherine Ryan Howard does it again! The first book of hers I read was 56 Days, and her new book, "The Trap" does not disappoint! The characters are well-developed, and the plot keeps you interested. I would highly recommend this book!

This book is awesome I love it Thank you Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the digital review copy. I look forward to receiving the physical copy!

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Trap releases August 1, 2023

I am OBSESSED! Wow, this is the best thriller I read this year so far! Let me tell you, this is my first book from the author and I love her writing style! Smart, heart pounding, elaborate crime fiction with lots of references to true crime. I did not see the plot coming, yaaaay. Enjoyed the short crisp chapters, without cringy inner monologues. I connected with the two badass female detectives from the get go. Would love to read more stories featuring them, like a future series! Another plus....its funny, nice palette cleansers throughout the story!
Thank you NetGalles for the ARC!

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for an advanced review copy.

I was nervous going into this book because it was my most anticipated book of the year. I can just go ahead and identify myself as a CRH fangirl. This is my seventh read from Catherine Ryan Howard and.... I'm happy to report it might even be my favorite! That is saying a lot considering I've given all of her books 4-5 stars. I loved everything about this. She layers a compelling mystery with genuine tense thrills. I also loved the commentary on our consumption of true crime as a society. The writing was fantastic as usual with relatable characters I could root for. I was genuinely shocked at one point. Like completely floored which is so unusual for me these days. Typically, I see twists coming from a mile away, but I threw my iPad onto the couch in complete shock at one point and stared at this book like it was a white-hot poker in my hands because she GOT ME. Definitely worth it. Add it to your preorder list. Pub: 8/1 in the US.

Lucy O’Sullivan is on a mission to find her sister Nicki who went missing… at any cost. Nicki, along with several other women in the area, has gone missing with absolutely no trace and the Gardai has a man in question but no real leads. So Lucy decides to take the case on in her own way by dangerously seeking out the man who is behind the kidnappings. She starts going out late at night to try and get approached by him hoping he will lead her to her sister. Detective Denise Pope is on the case and pairs up with Angela from the Missing Persons Unit who happened upon a major clue in the investigation. Throughout the novel, there are additional excerpts told in the killers voice. So the reader is privy to his thoughts and actions. This was such a crazy, edge of your seat, unputdownable read! I loved everything about this novel: the plot, the characters and the excellent writing. I highly recommend this five star read!

Thank you Blackstone and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are ALWAYS honest.

RING THE ALARM!!! IT'S A BANGER ALERT!!!!🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨

Writing: 4.5/5 | Plot: 5/5 | Ending: 5/5

SYNOPSIS

Missing women and a serial killer on the loose.

MY OPINION

OOOHHHWEEEEE THIS WAS A BANGER!!!!! If you loved [book:The Nothing Man|51166217], I'll bet my right arm (it's stronger than my left btw) that you will like this too. This had my fave parts of The Nothing Man combined with a lil police procedural and citizens gone rogue. Tbh there's something for everyone in this book.

Lots of books are labelled thrillers, but they often lack the thrills. This had my butt cheeks clenched IMMEDIATELY. While some povs are tamer than others, the plot quickly progresses as we get closer and closer to solving the mystery. What impressed me the most were the twists. Talk about original... And yes, they were foreshadowed and no, they weren't OTT! It doesn't get much better than that. Oh and the ending???? Perfection. Chefs kiss. I think some people might feel differently, but I absolutely DESPISE an epilogue that feels like an email from your mom recounting the previous week's events. I really don't give AF is Suzy opened a bakery, I want to be left asking for MORE. And this ending certainly will.

While the characters may not be particularly well-developed, the pace and unfolding mystery keep you otherwise occupied. I've only read two of Catherine Ryan Howard's books, but I found this to be her funniest. Loved the tongue-in-cheek humour. It felt like she had fun writing it, which made it an all the more enjoyable read. My fave POV was definitely the unnamed baddie... I hate that I wanted to know more about him 😂

All in all, READ IT. This is definitely the best thriller I've read this year. Like I said, it has something for everyone, and the humour keeps it from being uber depressing. No melodrama, no annoying, whiny inner monologues, no long-ass similes describing the mundane. Just bangerliciousness. I wish this was going to be a series... I want more crime-fighting adventures from Denise and Angela! Congrats, Catherine, on a FANTASTIC thriller. I hope this gets the hype it deserves. And I won't be put out if it becomes a movie either...... Just sayin'

PROS AND CONS

Pros: fast-paced, truly a thriller, original twists that truly had me shook, fantastic ending that leaves you wanting more, loved the humour, multi-povs that were all interesting and distinct

Cons: characters could've been a tad more flushed out but this is still a banger regardless

Set in Ireland where young women have disappeared, but not all the families of the victims feel their loved ones are being equally searched for. The sister of one of the missing is placing herself as bait to see if she can finally get some answers. We have several POV’s including that of the serial killer himself as he confesses his crimes to his latest victim.

I’m still recovering from the ending. CRH has a great way of coming up with something that is outrageous yet plausible. I really don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll leave it there.

There is a great self deprecating reference to The Nothing Man and a nod to The Liar’s Girl with a sweet little update. The Liar’s Girl is a favorite of mine so I was happy to see that! The Trap has the same dark and disturbing atmosphere with many scary and tense moments. If you like to read the very best thrillers, don’t miss any of Catherine Ryan Howard’s novels. I always recommend listening to her books on audio if you can because she has wonderful Irish narrators to bring authenticity to the setting. Thank you to @netgalley @blackstonepublishing @cathryanhoward for an early digital copy. Another outstanding read!

Pub date: August 17, 2023
Pages: 352

Another solid hit for Catherine Ryan Howard. This one was a departure from her other books, although she weaved in characters and storylines in from previous novels. The ending was a surprise, but nonetheless still satisfying.