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Iowa Mysteries #2
A World of Hurt
When someone dies to save your life, how do you ever forgive them?
A World of Hurt is Mindy Mejia's highly-anticipated follow-up to the “propulsive” USA Today bestselling thriller To Catch a Storm where an Iowa City police officer and a DEA informant must work together to hunt down the remains of a hidden drug empire.
Kara Johnson always knew she’d die young and violently. It didn’t matter who delivered the final blow, she would deserve it—her years spent running drugs and spreading violence would guarantee it. But death doesn’t always go as planned. When her girlfriend sacrifices herself to save Kara’s life, Kara is left grieving and adrift. She doesn’t know why she’s alive until the DEA shows up and offers her a go to prison or turn informant to lure out the last of the drug trafficking ring that murdered her girlfriend.
Max Summerlin is the kind of cop who needs answers—he’s been shot twice in the last year while looking for them. Despite his family’s objections and his struggle with chronic pain, he accepts an invitation from the DEA task force eagerly. That is, until he realizes he’ll be babysitting reformed drug trafficker Kara Johnson as she goes undercover.
Max knows Kara is keeping secrets. Kara doesn’t trust anyone, let alone Max. But the cop and the criminal will have to find a way to work together fast, because they aren’t the only ones hunting down the remains of a drug empire. And the kingpin who lurks in the shadows will stop at nothing to win.
A World of Hurt is Mindy Mejia's highly-anticipated follow-up to the “propulsive” USA Today bestselling thriller To Catch a Storm where an Iowa City police officer and a DEA informant must work together to hunt down the remains of a hidden drug empire.
Kara Johnson always knew she’d die young and violently. It didn’t matter who delivered the final blow, she would deserve it—her years spent running drugs and spreading violence would guarantee it. But death doesn’t always go as planned. When her girlfriend sacrifices herself to save Kara’s life, Kara is left grieving and adrift. She doesn’t know why she’s alive until the DEA shows up and offers her a go to prison or turn informant to lure out the last of the drug trafficking ring that murdered her girlfriend.
Max Summerlin is the kind of cop who needs answers—he’s been shot twice in the last year while looking for them. Despite his family’s objections and his struggle with chronic pain, he accepts an invitation from the DEA task force eagerly. That is, until he realizes he’ll be babysitting reformed drug trafficker Kara Johnson as she goes undercover.
Max knows Kara is keeping secrets. Kara doesn’t trust anyone, let alone Max. But the cop and the criminal will have to find a way to work together fast, because they aren’t the only ones hunting down the remains of a drug empire. And the kingpin who lurks in the shadows will stop at nothing to win.
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 6, 2024
59 people are currently reading
4713 people want to read
About the author
Mindy Mejia
12 books1,213 followersMy name is Mindy Mejia and I’m a writer. I write because, ever since I was six years old, my favorite game has been pretend. My life doesn't have symmetry, theme, symbolism, or meditated beauty and I gravitate toward these things like a houseplant to the sun. I love the perfect words; I love how 'fierce' and 'confounded' and 'swagger' look on the page and how my chest expands when I read them. I write because I believe in the reality of my fantasies, the truth in my fabrications. I’ve always had stories sneaking around my head, thrillers like LEAVE NO TRACE and EVERYTHING YOU WANT ME TO BE, and sometimes I inhabit those stories more than my own life. (Best not to mention that last part to my husband, kids, or boss.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
September 12, 2024
A former drug dealer and cop team up to solve a murder. The writing is fast-paced and intense, typical of Mejia. Lots of twists and red herrings make this both suspenseful and entertaining.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Atlantic Monthly Press and Mindy Mejia for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Atlantic Monthly Press and Mindy Mejia for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 5, 2024
Special thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug. 6, 2024
“A World of Hurt” is the sequel to Mindy Mejia’s novel, “To Catch a Storm”. It follows Iowa Police officer Max Summerlin, who is paired up with young, tattooed, Kara Johnson in order to take down a drug ring, or so they both think.
It has been quite awhile since I read, “To Catch a Storm”, and that story focused mostly on Eve and her psychic partner, Jonah. However, they do make more than a casual appearance in “Hurt”, and I was pleased to see them! Unlike most other novels of this genre, “Hurt” should be read by those who enjoyed, “Storm”, as reading out of order will lead to confusion and less enjoyment than Mejia deserves.
Kara and Max alternate narrating the novel. Kara is young, tattooed and caught up in a circle of drug traffickers that she can’t seem to shake. It’s only with the promise she makes to her girlfriend that she decides to turn a new leaf and work with the police, instead of against them. Max is a long-time police officer with a wife and teenage son and is reluctantly paired up with Kara as part of a covert operation. Both are the exact opposite of each other in every way, yet both are likable and human. Once they learn to trust each other, both Kara and Max make one heck of a team and I loved working the case alongside them!
Although it had been some time since I read “Storm”, Mejia’s creative and skillful writing brought it all back. The seamless flow and character development made her newest novel easy to read, and even harder to put down.
“Hurt” is action-packed and dramatic, with twists and turns on nearly every page. Dead bodies, gun fights and secret identities, “Hurt” has it all. Those who have been waiting for this eagerly anticipated second installment will not be disappointed- Mejia delivers!
Expected publication date: Aug. 6, 2024
“A World of Hurt” is the sequel to Mindy Mejia’s novel, “To Catch a Storm”. It follows Iowa Police officer Max Summerlin, who is paired up with young, tattooed, Kara Johnson in order to take down a drug ring, or so they both think.
It has been quite awhile since I read, “To Catch a Storm”, and that story focused mostly on Eve and her psychic partner, Jonah. However, they do make more than a casual appearance in “Hurt”, and I was pleased to see them! Unlike most other novels of this genre, “Hurt” should be read by those who enjoyed, “Storm”, as reading out of order will lead to confusion and less enjoyment than Mejia deserves.
Kara and Max alternate narrating the novel. Kara is young, tattooed and caught up in a circle of drug traffickers that she can’t seem to shake. It’s only with the promise she makes to her girlfriend that she decides to turn a new leaf and work with the police, instead of against them. Max is a long-time police officer with a wife and teenage son and is reluctantly paired up with Kara as part of a covert operation. Both are the exact opposite of each other in every way, yet both are likable and human. Once they learn to trust each other, both Kara and Max make one heck of a team and I loved working the case alongside them!
Although it had been some time since I read “Storm”, Mejia’s creative and skillful writing brought it all back. The seamless flow and character development made her newest novel easy to read, and even harder to put down.
“Hurt” is action-packed and dramatic, with twists and turns on nearly every page. Dead bodies, gun fights and secret identities, “Hurt” has it all. Those who have been waiting for this eagerly anticipated second installment will not be disappointed- Mejia delivers!
March 15, 2024
A World of Hurt is a bit of a strange one - in the first few pages I was ready to be very critical as it seemed like a bit of a try-hard bad-ass cop procedural, however there were some strange twists and turns along the way and I found myself easing into and enjoying the book a lot!
To elaborate - World of Hurt follows "Kara" a former drug mule with a medical condition where she feels no pain, and Max, a local detective, who, well. Truth be told Max is a bit of a dud character as I'll explain later, but he's a relatively morally staunch lawman which does make the pairing a little interesting.
So some of the weird stuff...
There's psychic powers?? Kara's love interest is a sort of pain-taker/healer, and Max's former partner is a prophetic dreamer! The tone of the book doesn't really prepare us for these supernatural elements, and oddly they aren't particularly major parts of the plot either, its just a bit of flavour to the action which is somewhat run-of-the-mill drug bust type plot.
It's not necessarily negative, but I have to say its rather unusual to have elements like this as a very minor detail in an otherwise quite 'gritty' story - the physic stuff doesn't really affect any major plot points so it really was just for flavour which I simultaneously liked as something a bit oddball but also had a strange sense of I think the author believes in this stuff?
Anyway other odd additions - a LOT of Covid-19 references, this presents a strange conundrum. It's certainly was presented realistically - social distancing, masks etc etc but again didn't have really anything to do with the story. It could have been set in 2019 and had no bearing, or set NOW and had no bearing. The drug plotline as far as I could tell didn't have any metaphorical link to Covid-19 so it was weird to have so much grounding in pandemic prevention measures.
A final weird is just a comment on our MC Max. He seemed to lack anything resembling a personality and for some reason this story deep dived into his home-life which oscillated between idyllic and cutesy to borderline criminal but also somehow shallow and weirdly token. As I write this I realize that both MC's are given quite a bit of page-time to their more personal endeavours, but where Kara's story is interwoven smoothly and 'fits' Max's scenes of family life just seem almost seem like afterthoughts - 'oh btw this is what Max's life is like at home'
It does feel like I'm being overly negative but it's important to note that the drug-bust type crime plot is actually a good romp, its more the subplots that can be a bit distracting in their oddness, I really enjoyed World of Hurt!
To elaborate - World of Hurt follows "Kara" a former drug mule with a medical condition where she feels no pain, and Max, a local detective, who, well. Truth be told Max is a bit of a dud character as I'll explain later, but he's a relatively morally staunch lawman which does make the pairing a little interesting.
So some of the weird stuff...
There's psychic powers?? Kara's love interest is a sort of pain-taker/healer, and Max's former partner is a prophetic dreamer! The tone of the book doesn't really prepare us for these supernatural elements, and oddly they aren't particularly major parts of the plot either, its just a bit of flavour to the action which is somewhat run-of-the-mill drug bust type plot.
It's not necessarily negative, but I have to say its rather unusual to have elements like this as a very minor detail in an otherwise quite 'gritty' story - the physic stuff doesn't really affect any major plot points so it really was just for flavour which I simultaneously liked as something a bit oddball but also had a strange sense of I think the author believes in this stuff?
Anyway other odd additions - a LOT of Covid-19 references, this presents a strange conundrum. It's certainly was presented realistically - social distancing, masks etc etc but again didn't have really anything to do with the story. It could have been set in 2019 and had no bearing, or set NOW and had no bearing. The drug plotline as far as I could tell didn't have any metaphorical link to Covid-19 so it was weird to have so much grounding in pandemic prevention measures.
A final weird is just a comment on our MC Max. He seemed to lack anything resembling a personality and for some reason this story deep dived into his home-life which oscillated between idyllic and cutesy to borderline criminal but also somehow shallow and weirdly token. As I write this I realize that both MC's are given quite a bit of page-time to their more personal endeavours, but where Kara's story is interwoven smoothly and 'fits' Max's scenes of family life just seem almost seem like afterthoughts - 'oh btw this is what Max's life is like at home'
It does feel like I'm being overly negative but it's important to note that the drug-bust type crime plot is actually a good romp, its more the subplots that can be a bit distracting in their oddness, I really enjoyed World of Hurt!
June 30, 2024
This book is the sequel to a book I read and very much enjoyed last summer, “To Catch A Storm”. This has a similar plot line and format, but instead of Eve, we have Kara. She’s one of the many characters who were in the first book, though she had a much smaller role in that one.
This starts off with Kara waking up in a Des Moines hospital, which is odd, because her regular doctor is a discreet veterinarian named Jillian. Kara is different when it comes to medical things; she has CIP Disorder, a condition that affects the nerves that signal pain. Yes, she’s one of those people who constantly have to make sure they aren’t injured, because she could break a bone and not even feel it. I thought this was a really cool thing to put in the story, as the condition has always fascinated me!
Then, without giving away too much of the first book or this one, this turns into another action-packed mystery/thriller, once again involving police in Iowa, the DEA, and the opioid epidemic. We also have the story of Celina, the niece of Jonah, the psychic private investigator from the first book. Celina was Kara’s girlfriend before her death, and the hole in Kara’s heart is big.
I’m not sure if this was as much of a page-turner as the first book, but it was still a good story and I liked “seeing” many of the old characters again. I definitely recommend reading the first book before this one; you’ll have a better appreciation for the characters. Not only a thriller, this is a story of friendship, love, trust and an issue that is plaguing the world right now. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
(Thank you to Atlantic Monthly Press, Mindy Mejia and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on August 6, 2024.)
This starts off with Kara waking up in a Des Moines hospital, which is odd, because her regular doctor is a discreet veterinarian named Jillian. Kara is different when it comes to medical things; she has CIP Disorder, a condition that affects the nerves that signal pain. Yes, she’s one of those people who constantly have to make sure they aren’t injured, because she could break a bone and not even feel it. I thought this was a really cool thing to put in the story, as the condition has always fascinated me!
Then, without giving away too much of the first book or this one, this turns into another action-packed mystery/thriller, once again involving police in Iowa, the DEA, and the opioid epidemic. We also have the story of Celina, the niece of Jonah, the psychic private investigator from the first book. Celina was Kara’s girlfriend before her death, and the hole in Kara’s heart is big.
I’m not sure if this was as much of a page-turner as the first book, but it was still a good story and I liked “seeing” many of the old characters again. I definitely recommend reading the first book before this one; you’ll have a better appreciation for the characters. Not only a thriller, this is a story of friendship, love, trust and an issue that is plaguing the world right now. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
(Thank you to Atlantic Monthly Press, Mindy Mejia and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on August 6, 2024.)
August 30, 2024
This is a sequel and I do not feel that it works very well as a standalone.
I did get a copy from the library of book one and that helped make the story more enjoyable but it really needed to be sold as a continuation.
I loved the characters and the plot though!
3.5 stars
I did get a copy from the library of book one and that helped make the story more enjoyable but it really needed to be sold as a continuation.
I loved the characters and the plot though!
3.5 stars
Want to read
June 7, 2024this cover reminded me of jurassic world and the description has nothing to do with it but still, I need to read this. I also just learned this is a part of a series but you know what, I'll still read it.
big thank you to Grove Atlantic and Atlantic Monthly Press for providing me with an arc.
big thank you to Grove Atlantic and Atlantic Monthly Press for providing me with an arc.
March 17, 2024
I was given the opportunity to read and review an ARC via NetGalley by Atlantic Monthly Press New York.
I really enjoyed To Catch a Storm and was very excited to learn there’d be a sequel, hoping to read more from the characters I’d gotten to know. Finding that this featured other characters made me a little nervous but I dove in and enjoyed the ride.
It’s only been a few years since the pandemic, so novels either brush past it, time skip it, or pretend it didn’t happen and I understand that. There was a lot of depth of emotion to explore and if it’s not relevant to your story, it’s too much to get into. Mindy chose to face it head on. From the varying viewpoints on policies to the fears of parents to the chaos of the unknowns in hospitals and prisons, I felt she handled it with care. She captured both the fears and the small pieces of community hope that people clung to. Then this is a book featuring a police officer and she also faced the George Floyd protests, BLM movement and answering Blue Lives movement. She didn’t shy from it and utilizing it pushed this story forward in a sensitive way.
Too often police procedurals feel like “copaganda” and they’re infallible, perfect investigators, but all of the officers involved were flawed and real people. The criminals were doing bad things but had sympathetic back stories. We did get to see characters from the first book, but new characters were featured and I enjoyed the new “odd couple.” The twists at the end were excellent, I didn’t see it all coming together like that but it all fit with the theme of the book. I really hope this series continues!
I really enjoyed To Catch a Storm and was very excited to learn there’d be a sequel, hoping to read more from the characters I’d gotten to know. Finding that this featured other characters made me a little nervous but I dove in and enjoyed the ride.
It’s only been a few years since the pandemic, so novels either brush past it, time skip it, or pretend it didn’t happen and I understand that. There was a lot of depth of emotion to explore and if it’s not relevant to your story, it’s too much to get into. Mindy chose to face it head on. From the varying viewpoints on policies to the fears of parents to the chaos of the unknowns in hospitals and prisons, I felt she handled it with care. She captured both the fears and the small pieces of community hope that people clung to. Then this is a book featuring a police officer and she also faced the George Floyd protests, BLM movement and answering Blue Lives movement. She didn’t shy from it and utilizing it pushed this story forward in a sensitive way.
Too often police procedurals feel like “copaganda” and they’re infallible, perfect investigators, but all of the officers involved were flawed and real people. The criminals were doing bad things but had sympathetic back stories. We did get to see characters from the first book, but new characters were featured and I enjoyed the new “odd couple.” The twists at the end were excellent, I didn’t see it all coming together like that but it all fit with the theme of the book. I really hope this series continues!
April 11, 2024
A World of Hurt is the sequel to To Catch A Storm, and the story is picked right up from the conclusion of the previous book. This story focuses almost solely on Iowa City Detective Max Summerlin and trafficker turned informant Kara Johnson (both secondary characters in the first book). Summerlin has joined a DEA Task Force, searching for a hidden cache of drugs, and the task force enlists Kara to assist them. There’s a lot of introspection in the private lives of Max and Kara, while central to the characters’ actions here, it slows down the flow of the book and becomes repetitive. But Kara’s character saves the day, with her brash, take-no-prisoners badassery carrying the plot. While you could read this as a standalone, it would be beneficial to read the first book (although there are enough references to get new readers up to speed and refresh the memories of those who read the earlier book). I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2025
We were first introduced to Kara and Max in the book, To Catch A Storm, where they were on opposite sides of the law and the fight for justice in the war on drugs. Now they are back, fighting together to find the final pieces of the investigation that was started in that first book. Kara is being used by the DEA to help a newly formed task force. Max, an Iowa City cop, has been assigned a spot on the DEA's task force and his first assignment is looking out for Kara, and the two hate each other. While there is a lot of information about the plot of book one in this book, I do think readers would be wise to read To Catch a Storm before they read A World of Hurt. This book started off very slow for me, and I found it hard to care about Max or Kara. But just like their dislike of each other, and their subsequent understanding and working together, I too started to really like the characters and by the end I was fully invested and their biggest cheerleader, my reading taking on a furious pace as I had to know how it all worked out. Mindy Mejia writes suspense and mystery in a way that feels very comforting to me. Is it the underlying relationship with Max's best friend Jonah that creates a network and family that you know can be counted on? Or is it the Iowa location? I'm not sure, but I do know that I'm excited to read the next book in the series!
Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for my DRC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for my DRC in exchange for my honest review.
August 17, 2024
A World of Hurt is a captivating story about a criminal & cop pair up with interesting twists. Looking for something that a murdered drug lord this unlikely duo get caught in the rat race of finding that which was never supposed to be found. This book was dark, unique, completely riveting! I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good mystery/crime/thriller. All the stars!!!!
I would like to thank NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me ARC access. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me ARC access. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 26, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.
I felt immediately intrigued by Kara and her disorder (the inability to feel pain), but Max's chapters took more time to catch my attention. Overall, this was a smartly plotted book with several twists and reveals that I didn't see coming and that kept my eyes glued to the pages to see how everything would play out. I'm not sure if Mejia is intending to write another book in this world and with some of these characters, but I would've liked a little more of Jonah's story.
I felt immediately intrigued by Kara and her disorder (the inability to feel pain), but Max's chapters took more time to catch my attention. Overall, this was a smartly plotted book with several twists and reveals that I didn't see coming and that kept my eyes glued to the pages to see how everything would play out. I'm not sure if Mejia is intending to write another book in this world and with some of these characters, but I would've liked a little more of Jonah's story.
August 20, 2024
Loved it and would give the book 4.5 stars!! I loved "To Catch a Storm, " so I couldn't wait to read this and see how the story ends. This definitely didn't disappoint. I enjoyed that the book centered around Kara and Max. The story continued after Max made the huge drug bust. Jonah and Eve made a few appearances. There were so many twists and turns, every time I thought I had something figured out, something else happens. I was shocked when the truth was revealed. I really wasn't expecting this person to be in cahoots with Belgrave. I really thought it was someone else. Phyllis was awesome. I would never want to live with her because she is downright scary, but she is one tough cookie. If you ever need to poison someone, she is the lady to see. While Eve and Jonah were the perfect team, so are Kara and Max. Kara is so easy to like, even with her past. All she wanted to do is give Celina the recognition she deserved. Nothing would stop her. (Actually nothing. Not bullets, dislocated shoulders, broken bones....) I'm so happy Jillian got her got barn and solar panels. I loved all her interactions with Fluffy. Mateo's tory actually brought a tear to my eye. Loved how the community came together to raise money for a bird. #MateoMate. I never guessed how he got into the wild, but it makes sense. So happy Mateo got a friend. He deserved it, just like Kara.
Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller. Loved the characters, story and writing style. Loved the ending and how everything concluded. Maybe the story isn't over and we will see more of Jonah and Max. Look forward to reading more books by the author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Grove Atlantic through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller. Loved the characters, story and writing style. Loved the ending and how everything concluded. Maybe the story isn't over and we will see more of Jonah and Max. Look forward to reading more books by the author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Grove Atlantic through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
August 7, 2024
Oh dear lord I accidentally just erased my whole review and I may need to lie down for several hours. So here we go again in a more condensed version: I did not read the novel before this and this reads well as a stand alone. Although I think that I would have probably engaged with Kara and Max earlier in the story if I had read the previous book.
As it was, I found Kara to be a complex character and her medical contrition to actually be an interesting piece of the novel. Max himself isn’t super interesting but he definitely grew on me.
I did see the bad guy coming but that may be because I read way too many police procedurals/mystery/thrillers.
This book is a solid 3.5/5 for me and I think a really good read for fans of police procedurals with a bit of thrill.
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
As it was, I found Kara to be a complex character and her medical contrition to actually be an interesting piece of the novel. Max himself isn’t super interesting but he definitely grew on me.
I did see the bad guy coming but that may be because I read way too many police procedurals/mystery/thrillers.
This book is a solid 3.5/5 for me and I think a really good read for fans of police procedurals with a bit of thrill.
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
October 17, 2024
This is listed as Ms. Mejia's sixth book. It's a crime thriller where a cop and a (female) convict are coerced into working together, not a remarkable story idea, but lots of gory action and villainous bad guys help our enjoyment. There are a couple of "gimmicks", but I won't spoil them. I'll probably read another if I come across it. The setting is around Des Moines, Iowa, not a common location for crime books.
September 4, 2024
I didn’t enjoy this book. I didn’t read the first book and maybe that is why I was lost reading this one.
I think it was for a younger audience also.
Thank you to Goodreads for the book but it just was not for me.
2.5 stars
I think it was for a younger audience also.
Thank you to Goodreads for the book but it just was not for me.
2.5 stars
May 16, 2025
The second Iowa mystery……every bit as engrossing as the first. The inclusion of covid really made a big impact!!
August 22, 2025
Excellent!
August 26, 2024
Round up to 4.5 stars.
November 13, 2024
It's been so fun getting to know the author, Mindy Mejia, and to see her books grow in depth and strength.
August 12, 2024
This was a very interesting and unexpected book.
It did make me think about life in a completely different context.
When I requested this book, I did not know it was the 2nd in the series, but it did not affect the flow of the book or how I connected with the characters. I am sure if I had the context of the first book I would have enjoyed it that much more.
I am not sure if I could or would call this a typical thriller, for me it was more of an action/adventure kind of book with police and drug procedural pieces along the way. So, if you are looking for a more domestic thriller, or murder mystery, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a Covid-19, who's going to get one over on who, action/police type book, this is the one for you.
I am not sure if I would get this again, but I am also not disappointed in the listen either.
Thank you to RB Media and Netgalley for the advanced audio copy of this book. All my opinions are my own.
It did make me think about life in a completely different context.
When I requested this book, I did not know it was the 2nd in the series, but it did not affect the flow of the book or how I connected with the characters. I am sure if I had the context of the first book I would have enjoyed it that much more.
I am not sure if I could or would call this a typical thriller, for me it was more of an action/adventure kind of book with police and drug procedural pieces along the way. So, if you are looking for a more domestic thriller, or murder mystery, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a Covid-19, who's going to get one over on who, action/police type book, this is the one for you.
I am not sure if I would get this again, but I am also not disappointed in the listen either.
Thank you to RB Media and Netgalley for the advanced audio copy of this book. All my opinions are my own.
January 7, 2025
I like this author's writing style - it keeps me fully engaged in the plot even when the characters aren't totally likeable.
May 11, 2024
READ MY FULL REVIEW AT Best Thriller Books
Make sure to check out the full review
Make sure to check out the full review
March 3, 2024
This was an interesting book about a crime where a criminal and cop work together in Iowa to solve a crime which features all the banes of our life like Covid and cryptocurrency.
February 14, 2025
ugh I just can’t do covid storylines
April 1, 2025
Poorly written
August 6, 2024
3.5 stars
Although it’s difficult to tell when on certain websites, this is actually the second book in a series. While I think it can be read as a standalone, there will be some missing pieces if you do. I skimmed some reviews from readers who didn’t read To Catch a Storm, confirming my thinking. You’ll get so much more from this book if you know the backstory of some of the characters.
Max tended to annoy me in the first book, but with more of his POV in this story, I came to respect and understand him much more. This story is a dual POV between Max and a former DEA informer Kara. The DEA is knocking on her door again and she is left without much of a choice but to help them out, even if it kills her. Although Max works for the local police department, he is put on the DEA task force and assigned to be Kara’s shadow. Even though Max is not old enough to be Kara’s dad, they settle into a sort of dad/daughter rhythm. Or, more like a bull-headed dad and rebellious daughter. The way they slowly come to care for each other is sweet in this gritty story.
I rarely read anything outside the Romance genre because I want to have a guaranteed HEA and the wistfulness of love and happiness. This is an author outside that genre that I have come to trust though. But I must warn you that this particular book is very real. It takes place in the late summer/early fall of 2020 and the world of this story is the same as the real world at that time; COVID-19, masks, protests, police brutality, etc. I was a bit wary about Max and which direction his thoughts and actions would take, but he has a good head on his shoulders and is quite rational about it all even while having a crisis of consciousness.
There is an interesting juxtaposition between Max and Kara with him having chronic pain and her not being able to feel pain. Which is worse? Max has a family and other loved ones while Kara is alone in the world. Max is by the book and obsesses about the times he didn’t follow the rules and what the consequences may have been. Kara has spent the majority of her life doing what needed to be done to survive no matter what the rules may be.
This story has mystery, intrigue, danger, and many different types of love. It wasn’t a fast read for me because of the heavy themes, but I certainly enjoyed the book.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
Although it’s difficult to tell when on certain websites, this is actually the second book in a series. While I think it can be read as a standalone, there will be some missing pieces if you do. I skimmed some reviews from readers who didn’t read To Catch a Storm, confirming my thinking. You’ll get so much more from this book if you know the backstory of some of the characters.
Max tended to annoy me in the first book, but with more of his POV in this story, I came to respect and understand him much more. This story is a dual POV between Max and a former DEA informer Kara. The DEA is knocking on her door again and she is left without much of a choice but to help them out, even if it kills her. Although Max works for the local police department, he is put on the DEA task force and assigned to be Kara’s shadow. Even though Max is not old enough to be Kara’s dad, they settle into a sort of dad/daughter rhythm. Or, more like a bull-headed dad and rebellious daughter. The way they slowly come to care for each other is sweet in this gritty story.
I rarely read anything outside the Romance genre because I want to have a guaranteed HEA and the wistfulness of love and happiness. This is an author outside that genre that I have come to trust though. But I must warn you that this particular book is very real. It takes place in the late summer/early fall of 2020 and the world of this story is the same as the real world at that time; COVID-19, masks, protests, police brutality, etc. I was a bit wary about Max and which direction his thoughts and actions would take, but he has a good head on his shoulders and is quite rational about it all even while having a crisis of consciousness.
There is an interesting juxtaposition between Max and Kara with him having chronic pain and her not being able to feel pain. Which is worse? Max has a family and other loved ones while Kara is alone in the world. Max is by the book and obsesses about the times he didn’t follow the rules and what the consequences may have been. Kara has spent the majority of her life doing what needed to be done to survive no matter what the rules may be.
This story has mystery, intrigue, danger, and many different types of love. It wasn’t a fast read for me because of the heavy themes, but I certainly enjoyed the book.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
February 18, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed TO CATCH A STORM when I read it a couple years ago. Not knowing it was the start of a series, I was delighted when I heard about A WORLD OF HURT. I even reread its predecessor (still enjoyable the second time around) so I could remember who was who and what was what in the world Mejia created. I was really looking forward to catching up with Eve, Jonah, and Earl (my favorite characters from TO CATCH A STORM), so I was a little disappointed to discover that they're barely in A WORLD OF HURT. Instead, the second installment is narrated by police officer Max Summerlin and drug dealer-turned reluctant DEA informant Kara Johnson. There's nothing wrong with Max. He's perfectly likable; he's just one of the blandest characters in the series. Hard-as-stone Kara is definitely more exciting than Max, but she's not exactly relatable or sympathetic. I had a hard time caring much about her since she'd done so many horrible things, mostly without remorse. The fact that she has CIP (Congenital Insensitivity to Pain) is interesting, especially considering she's working with Max, who has chronic pain. That dichotomy gives the story more depth and complexity than it would have otherwise.
Plotwise, A WORLD OF HURT is pretty generic. I've seen the reluctant-partners-from-two-different-worlds-work-together-to-bring-down-a-powerful-drug-cartel storyline a bajillion times in books, film, and television. This book didn't bring anything unique to the familiar plot (other than Phyllis, of course, who's a brilliant character). I saw the Big Twist at the end coming from a mile away, which is always kind of a letdown. In spite of all this, the plot was gripping enough to keep me reading. I wanted to know what was going to happen next (even though none of it was very surprising).
In the end, I found A WORLD OF HURT to be a tad disappointing. TO CATCH A STORM was much more unique and twisty. Plus I liked its lead characters better. Nevertheless, I will still read on in this series. I just hope the next book features much more of Jonah, Eve, and Earl.
If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I rounded up.
If this book were a movie, it would be rated R for strong language (and lots of it), violence (and lots of it), blood/gore (and lots of it), and some sexual content.
Plotwise, A WORLD OF HURT is pretty generic. I've seen the reluctant-partners-from-two-different-worlds-work-together-to-bring-down-a-powerful-drug-cartel storyline a bajillion times in books, film, and television. This book didn't bring anything unique to the familiar plot (other than Phyllis, of course, who's a brilliant character). I saw the Big Twist at the end coming from a mile away, which is always kind of a letdown. In spite of all this, the plot was gripping enough to keep me reading. I wanted to know what was going to happen next (even though none of it was very surprising).
In the end, I found A WORLD OF HURT to be a tad disappointing. TO CATCH A STORM was much more unique and twisty. Plus I liked its lead characters better. Nevertheless, I will still read on in this series. I just hope the next book features much more of Jonah, Eve, and Earl.
If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I rounded up.
If this book were a movie, it would be rated R for strong language (and lots of it), violence (and lots of it), blood/gore (and lots of it), and some sexual content.
August 20, 2024
This is the second book in the Iowa Mysteries series. This book can be read as a standalone, but there are references to storylines and appearances of characters from book 1. I switched back and forth between the audiobook and the ebook. The audio was narrated by Justis Bolding and Brian Hutchison. I thought they did a great job portraying these characters, the story and the suspenseful scenes.
The story follows Detective Max Summerlin and former drug runner Kara Johnson. The head of the DEA task force targeting the drug traffickers from book 1 hunts down Kara where she’s been hiding in Canada since the events of To Catch a Storm. Then he assigns Max, local law enforcement that’s been assigned to liaise with the task force to be Kara’s handler during the operation. He hopes that Kara will be able to lead them back to the person behind the drug ring, but especially to the hidden cache. Kara is all for revenge and Max, well, is just Max, I guess. The storyline for the mystery was good but not edge of my seat for me.
Max and Kara clash from the start. Kara makes assumptions about Max and vice versa. I found it all a bit annoying. Honestly, Max annoyed me in this book as much as he annoyed me in the first. I missed Jonah and his psychic abilities to temper Max’s holier than thou attitude. He thinks all sorts of enlightened thoughts but then he stays silent and observes instead of participating in life or speaking up against bullies or for what’s right. He does everything in his power to avoid conflict whether it’s with his wife, his fellow officers and in the case of Kara, he makes assumptions without asking questions. I did enjoy learning about Kara’s CIP Disorder.
Limited recommendations to those who enjoyed To Catch a Storm and/or enjoy DEA type thrillers.
Thank you to Netgalley, Grove Atlantic, and Recorded Books for a copy provided for an honest review.
The story follows Detective Max Summerlin and former drug runner Kara Johnson. The head of the DEA task force targeting the drug traffickers from book 1 hunts down Kara where she’s been hiding in Canada since the events of To Catch a Storm. Then he assigns Max, local law enforcement that’s been assigned to liaise with the task force to be Kara’s handler during the operation. He hopes that Kara will be able to lead them back to the person behind the drug ring, but especially to the hidden cache. Kara is all for revenge and Max, well, is just Max, I guess. The storyline for the mystery was good but not edge of my seat for me.
Max and Kara clash from the start. Kara makes assumptions about Max and vice versa. I found it all a bit annoying. Honestly, Max annoyed me in this book as much as he annoyed me in the first. I missed Jonah and his psychic abilities to temper Max’s holier than thou attitude. He thinks all sorts of enlightened thoughts but then he stays silent and observes instead of participating in life or speaking up against bullies or for what’s right. He does everything in his power to avoid conflict whether it’s with his wife, his fellow officers and in the case of Kara, he makes assumptions without asking questions. I did enjoy learning about Kara’s CIP Disorder.
Limited recommendations to those who enjoyed To Catch a Storm and/or enjoy DEA type thrillers.
Thank you to Netgalley, Grove Atlantic, and Recorded Books for a copy provided for an honest review.
August 8, 2024
Many thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Justis Bolding and Brian Hutchison narrate this story and do a fabulous job! I highly recommend the audiobook if that is of interest!
So I am now a huge fan of Mindy Mejia! Since this is book 2 in the series, I took the advice of other reviewers and listened to book one, To Catch a Storm. I do recommend that you do the same prior to reading/listening to this book as you will get more out of it. You can read Book 2 as a stand-alone but you may be a bit frustrated. The author does not waste words on a lengthy catchup. I loved book one so I knew I would love book two!
This is the continuation of the Iowa City drug dealing ring and the detectives / PIs trying to shut it down. While book one focused on Eve, a professor of physics, who is looking for her missing husband and Jonah, the psychic detective looking for his niece, Book 2 focuses on Iowa City police officer and a DEA informant who must work together to hunt down the remains of a hidden drug empire.
There is plenty of action, suspense and police procedure in this series! I loved that the author worked in the COVID-19 pandemic and police brutality that accompanied it into the story. The characters are richly developed, believable, and help propel the fast paced story.
Its interesting that Max and Cara are paired together as they are polar opposites. Max is a cop who is excited to work on a DEA task force and has considerable pain from recent gun shots. Cara is a former drug dealer trying to change her stripes and do better for her girlfriend, Selena, and has a disorder that prevents her from feeling any pain.
This is really well written, suspenseful read! Highly recommend!!!
So I am now a huge fan of Mindy Mejia! Since this is book 2 in the series, I took the advice of other reviewers and listened to book one, To Catch a Storm. I do recommend that you do the same prior to reading/listening to this book as you will get more out of it. You can read Book 2 as a stand-alone but you may be a bit frustrated. The author does not waste words on a lengthy catchup. I loved book one so I knew I would love book two!
This is the continuation of the Iowa City drug dealing ring and the detectives / PIs trying to shut it down. While book one focused on Eve, a professor of physics, who is looking for her missing husband and Jonah, the psychic detective looking for his niece, Book 2 focuses on Iowa City police officer and a DEA informant who must work together to hunt down the remains of a hidden drug empire.
There is plenty of action, suspense and police procedure in this series! I loved that the author worked in the COVID-19 pandemic and police brutality that accompanied it into the story. The characters are richly developed, believable, and help propel the fast paced story.
Its interesting that Max and Cara are paired together as they are polar opposites. Max is a cop who is excited to work on a DEA task force and has considerable pain from recent gun shots. Cara is a former drug dealer trying to change her stripes and do better for her girlfriend, Selena, and has a disorder that prevents her from feeling any pain.
This is really well written, suspenseful read! Highly recommend!!!
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