Twisted Truth

by Ava Strong

Fish & Wildlife Agent Amy Rush has spent a lifetime honing her wilderness survival skills. Now she’ll use them to catch a serial killer.

In the remote wilderness, victims are ruthlessly hunted and killed by an unseen predator armed with a deadly crossbow. Only Fish & Wildlife Agent Amy Rush, a survival expert and naturalist, can track down the killer and save more innocent lives—including her own.

“The plot has many twists and turns, but it is the ending, which I did not see coming at all, that totally defines this book as one of the most riveting that I have read in years.”
—Reader review for Not Like Us
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TWISTED TRUTH is book #1 in a long-anticipated new series by #1 bestseller Ava Strong, whose bestseller NOT LIKE US (a free download) has received over 1,000 five star ratings and reviews.

An intense and gripping crime thriller, Amy Rush is a complex psychological series that will captivate readers with its compelling and brilliant female protagonist. Filled with constant action, suspense, surprises, and a rapid pace, this mystery series guarantees to keep you up all night as you eagerly turn each page. Fans of Mary Burton, Lee Child, and Kendra Elliot are sure to fall in love.

“This is a chilling, suspenseful page turner that just might leave you scared at night!”
—Reader review for Not Like Us
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Very intriguing, kept me turning page after page… Lots of twists and turns and a very unexpected ending. Cannot wait for the next in this series!”
—Reader review for Not Like Us
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A roller coaster ride of events… Can’t put down until you finish it!”
—Reader review for Not Like Us
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Excellent read with very realistic characters that you become emotionally invested in… Couldn't put it down!”
—Reader review for The Death Code
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“An excellent read, lots of twists and turns, with a surprising ending, leaving you wanting to read the next book in the series! Well done!”
—Reader review for The Death Code
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“Well worth the read. Cannot wait to see what happens in the next book!”
—Reader review for The Death Code
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“Quickly became a story I couldn’t put down! I highly recommend this book!”
—Reader review for His Other Wife
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“I really enjoyed the fast-paced action, plot design and characterization... I didn't want to put the book down and the ending was a total surprise.”
—Reader review for His Other Wife
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“The characters are extremely well developed… There are twists and turns in the plot that kept me guessing. An extremely well written story.”
—Reader review for His Other Wife
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“One of the best books I have ever read… The ending was perfect and surprising. Ava Strong is an amazing writer.”
—Reader review for His Other Wife
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“Holy cow, what a rollercoaster… Many times I absolutely KNEW who the killer was—only to be proven w

Genres: Ebooks, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery, Amazon, Thriller, Contemporary

149 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 6, 2024

About the author

Ava Strong is author of the REMI LAURENT mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); of the ILSE BECK mystery series, comprising seven books (and counting); of the STELLA FALL psychological suspense thriller series, comprising six books (and counting); of the DAKOTA STEELE FBI suspense thriller series, comprising six books (and counting); of the LILY DAWN suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting); and of the MEGAN YORK suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting).

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Ava loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit her website.

Reviews

[scrivspo · Rating 1 out of 5]

who’s the best person to investigate a double homocide?? ah yes, a park ranger!!!!

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a feeling this will be a decent series. If you like mystery/thrillers this one seems good. Multi layer plot that I’d imagine will unravel the more books you read. This particular plot for the “case” at hand was interesting and kept me engaged. I could have done without the whole Mother Earth language but I understand it was used to connect her to her parents - just a little odd when reading and didn’t flow in the dialogue.

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd be remiss if I didn't thank one of my cousins for alerting me to this book (and ultimately, the series) - she knows I'm a fan of two other nature and wildlife agents, Paul Doiron's Mike Bowditch and C.J. Box's Joe Pickett and that I'd be delighted that a woman is getting a chance to shine in that capacity. And yes, I liked it enough to order the next three in the series as well as the soon-to-be-released fifth (arguably, most are short enough to qualify as novellas, so they're easy to read from a length standpoint).

To the author's credit, it didn't take long for me to become a fan of Amy Rush, a Nature and Wildlife Reserve District 03 special agent (somehow, I must have missed the location - assume she's in the United States somewhere). Largely tutored by her much-loved late father, also an agent, she's an ace shot and skilled in combat techniques. Her partner, Ryan Brooks, isn't as physically competent, but rather more tech-savvy. They're working for a sourpuss supervisor, a woman who rarely shows her human side.

As she was finishing up her usual wilderness hike early one morning, Amy almost literally runs into a man who seems out of his mind and screaming. After getting him to calm down a bit, she learns he's just found two girls in the woods - both bloodied and clearly dead. Back at the station after the mess has been cleaned up and the girls identified, Amy is introduced to Ernest Stone, an FBI special agent to whom she takes an instant dislike (oh gosh, there's a surprise). But while he seems happy enough to let Amy take the investigative lead and any credit, he clams up when it comes to admitting why he's really sticking his nose in where Amy thinks it doesn't belong.

Clues are hard to come by, but three heads are better than one so eventually they converge on a promising lead. Of course, more than that I can't reveal except that the investigation doesn't go without a serious hitch or two before the case comes to a fitting conclusion. It also brings insights to what may come in the next book (nope, can't talk about that, either).

One thing I do hope, though, is that the next books have the benefit of more copy-editing and fact-checking (simply too many glitches for me to overlook, prompting me to drop a star in the rating, although I do admit to being picky about such things).

[Roberta · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is in serious need of an editor. The missing words, lack of proper capitalization (on a surname even!), and various other errors made it very annoying to read. As for the plot, well, you've heard it all before.

[Sharon Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story but don’t authors proofread their books before having them published? It annoyed me that there were so many mistakes. Might read this author again but if that book isn’t proofread either that will be the last one I will read.

[Jada Romans · Rating 1 out of 5]

SO many grammatical errors, missing words, names spelled 3 different ways I just couldn’t get past it all. 😅 overall, good story but wouldn’t recommend or read again.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought it would be a fine audio book to pass the time on a cross-state drive, but I have no need to continue it or the series. Misunderstood female game warden, soldier haunted by war experiences turned serial killer, sneering FBI agent - it was both insulting and demeaning. One of my least favorite readers, as well - hopefully, only AI would repeatedly say, "asterisk, asterisk, asterisk" for what I came to understand was a break in the chapter or pronounce the "Bass" of outdoor stores as though it were a stringed instrument.

[Bells Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amy Rush is the co-worker we all hate. She knows it all and is the only one who does things right. She is just so perfect running 11 miles every day before work through the wilderness w/a pack of emergency supplies, a hand gun, emergency radio and rifle - yeah right. Only she can think about emergency medical response ordering the other agents around while they look around like idiots. She might be a survival expert but her laughing at her co-workers while sucking up to her boss makes her a prig and easy to hate.

The writing is just ok - she doesn’t really know horses yet has her final confrontation w/the murderer with horses involved “she looked back to see Ryan bridling the 3 horses” they had just been riding them and had gotten off them when a rock slide happened. Horses are bridled when you start riding and you would not unbridle them or bridle them in the middle of an emergency. Also the AI voice used didn’t know the pronunciation of Bass Pro Shops it isn’t base like bass drums. There’s a lot more such as the call signs read out agent eleven hundred fifty-two instead of agent one one five two. It just made for an odd narration and I’m sure not what the author meant.

It had promise but Amy the super hero is just such a fantasy it almost read like sci-fi. Evidence coming back from the lab within hours, and the team not finding DNA evidence w/in minutes (this stuff takes time and something anyone actually familiar w/even TV procedurals would know). I kept listening as it was short, I ran out of books on Hoopla and this was a “bonus” borrow. Anyways not a favorite.

[Antonia Steinbrecher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Im Nachhinein froh, dass es nur 200 Seiten waren😴

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, and would recommend. I do have to add that if spelling and grammatical errors/ typos annoy you then this may not be for you, it did start to drive me to distraction after a while. It may just be the kindle version but in the end I’m glad I persisted as the story is very enjoyable

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fish and Wildlife angle was an interesting agency I didn’t see coming. I did see unsolved murder of a family member angle coming. Seems to be a template that a lot of these writers use to churn out these books. Not to say I didn’t like it because I did.

I did find it interesting that other than at the beginning there was no further mention of her mother and brother. Maybe they will be brought on later in the series once she meets up with Hawk.

I’m wondering if this series is being set up for her and the FBI guy to be partners?

As a note there were quite a few grammatical errors in a certain section of the book that really took me by surprised as I assume that since this book is available on B&N and KU it would have been professionally edited. It really jarred me out of the storyline.

[Danielle Farrell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the reason I didn’t enjoy this book as most people did is because I did the audio and it was an AI narrator. Amy was called Amya several times and Lyndon (B Johnson) was badly botched. I also understand this is a fiction book BUT I want my fiction books to feel real and I just didn’t feel that a Wildlife Agent would solve a murder better and faster than a trained FBI agent. This isn’t a book I’d recommend to anyone unless they specifically asked for something like this. I also learned to check to see if the narrator is AI or real.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most important note: DO NOT DO AUDIOBOOK. It's horrendous. I was going to go into how much I disliked the narrator and their many errors but googled first and discovered this was "read by Vivienne (Synthesized Voice)." So, yeah. Crappy AI.

As for the story. Decent. Like I was engaged. I was entertained. There was nothing overly complicated about it. Short, to the point. I can't really go too much further than that as the narration really just grated on my nerves. The timing, the mispronunciations...it just pulled too much from the story for me. I did see where there is at least another book in this series so I think I will pick up a paper copy or e-version and give it my inner voice so that I can really get a feel for the author's writing.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

[Heather Littman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A narrator can make or break a book and the AI/synthetic reader on this audiobook (Hoopla) definitely dropped the rating. It was hard to enjoy the decent writing/story unfortunately.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

If a Fish and Wildlife Agent showed up to a murder scene and said “I was really good at ISpy as a kid” then I would immediately have no hope that the case would be solved.

[Grațian · Rating 3 out of 5]

TL;DR
Average is the word I'd use to describe this book, I didn't waste my time reading but it wasn't a great read either. I keep trying these police/detective thrillers but they all just seem so boring to me. Maybe because we always get to see the killer's perspective and the tension is gone for me at that point.


My Scoring System
I have five things I look for in a book, if the book checks all five it's a 5/5 stars book, if it checks none it's a 1/5 stars and everything else is a combination:

✓ - Main Story: It was okay, I liked our main protagonist and how she thought and handled herself.

X - Side Stories (if it applies):

✓ - Characters: Ryan is the worst character in this story, he's completely useless and didn't do anything at all. I have no idea why was he in this story. The rest of the cast were good. I liked the dynamic of the FBI agent getting on our main protagonist's nerves.

X - Setting/Ambiance: Nothing particular interesting to talk about, just your average scenery.

✓ - Ending: No twist or any surprises here but it wasn't a bad ending either. Just average. Setting up for future stories.


Extensive Review

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than I expected!

So, while this wasn't amazing, it was pretty good and is a lifeline in the reading slump. It was short and too the point story with a no nonsense female heroine.

I really liked Amy, our warden for fish and wildlife. She has been through some things in her life, but has a take charge level headed attitude. She's also smart and a good shot.

I think this story was decent, but I would have liked a bit more tension between the good guys and our killer. Just to amp up that tension. I think a bit more suspense would have made this better.

Still, happy to have given this a shot. There's more to this series. And , while I want to know more about the situation with Amy's Dad, I'm not sure I'll continue. Just too many books and not enough time.

Reading series 2025
July, K/T

[Sharon Leff]

Great Series Starter!

This is the way to ignite a series…setting a background, creating a history, building character relationships, and developing conflicts. A daughter, raised by her Warden serving father in a small mountain community has an understanding, appreciation, and connection to the land, to Earth. Raised early to discern signs, maximize senses, trust instincts, and perfect shooting, she has become a ranger with expertise that surpasses FBI.

And when a double murder occurs on federal park lands she patrols, she becomes lead investigator of a case as odd as it is complicated involving an FBI officer on the field and by her side whether invited and/or needed.

Fast-paced, character and setting strong, this twisted tale leads readers through the park on a deadly chase.

[Christine Rains · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fish & Wildlife Agent Amy Rush was taught by her father how to survive in the wilderness. Now she needs all her skills to catch at serial killer and keep him from killing anyone else. With the help of her green partner and an interfering federal agent, Amy must hurry to find the killer or she could be next.

This is the first exciting book in the Amy Rush Suspense Thriller series. The story starts us right off with Amy finding a terrified man in the woods and right on to the hunt for the killer. Amy is smart and independent, but not heartless. She knows what she's doing, but it doesn't help the federal agent is keeping some information from her. Great action and wonderful details of crime in the woods.

[Myrca Ceran · Rating 3 out of 5]

This read had an interesting premise that definitely caught my attention, combining suspense, mystery, and emotional tension that kept me curious enough to see how it would all unfold. The pacing was solid, and there were a few moments that genuinely pulled me in.

That said, some parts felt a little predictable, and a few of the characters could have been developed more deeply for me to fully connect with them. I also found that we never really learn why these crimes were committed, which left me feeling like the story wasn’t fully finished. A few of the twists toward the end felt a bit rushed as well.

Still, it was an entertaining and quick read overall, perfect if you’re in the mood for a straightforward mystery with just enough suspense to keep you turning the pages.

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had the potential to be great, but it fell extremely flat. My husband and I like to listen to suspense thrillers on our road trips & I thought this would be a good one. The concept was intriguing but not executed well.

First, the audiobook sounded like AI read it, or the author needed a better proof reader. There were key words missing and plural words not being pronounced. Very distracting.

Second, I’m sorry, but a park ranger would not be leading a murder investigation 🤣 it was so unbelievable and at points, down right cringey 🤣🤣

And third, as soon as the killer’s pov was read, we knew the outcome of the book. There were no twists to keep you guessing.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted Truth has a main strong character - Amy - who is relentless in the pursue of truth. She has a challenging past that still sits heavy in her mind, and she is the lead investigator in the death of two girls who were camping in the area. The FBI will also show up looking into the case and Amy will use all her skills to search, find and trap the culprit. This book has action and a good plot and the end promises that Amy will be facing even more challenging cases.
I thank Ms. Strong for this ARC.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read

This is a really gripping book. It kept this reader engrossed right up to the end. Had it not been so riddled with errors, I would have given it five stars. There is a lot of earth worship involved in it. A lot of the events deal much with understanding of the earth and the animals that inhabit it, and protagonist Amy was certainly attuned. The sadness of PTSD is well handled. Not all dead soldiers die a physical death in war, and Ava Strong does an excellent job of portraying this in Twisted Truth.

[John Guenzler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent read

I liked the story but there are some pretty glaring details that don't sit right. Like the1911 revolver used to make a cane. It can be a1911 or a revolver. No matter how hot shot the law enforcement officer, they would never shoot the lock on a residential door. There would be too much risk of hurting some one on the other side. Finally, no Marine that I know of, and I know several, would ever describe himself as a soldier. Soldiers are Army.

[Maryann Hornbaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

NOT riveting

This story is interesting but nothing riveting. First off it needs major editing. Spelling, phrasing, twisted wording and over explaining makes this a core to read. At times the same thought is expressed twice in the same paragraph.
It did have a nice story line but that too was just straight line story. and here again the guys fall apart and the young gal saves the day.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is low budget. There are many grammatical errors. After doing some research, I think this book is self-published, so I just don't think anyone reviewed this book. I would also discourage the audiobook version on this one, it's a synthesized voice that reads every error and character -- even the "asterisk asterisk asterisk" listed in the book to symbolize a jump in time. The overall plot idea was interesting, it was just too distracting hearing all of these issues read aloud to me.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story itself was good. It wasn’t great, but it was good. The problem I had was that I listened to the audiobook and it was read by AI - a synthetic narrator. It was so hard to concentrate on the story when the AI was reading the *** (asterisks) as if they were part of the story and not breaks in the chapter. Mispronunciation of common words was irritating as well. I would give this a 4 star rating if not for that.

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this through a bonus borrow from Hoopla. It was okay. I like the beginning of the book and was initially interested because her story was tied so closely to her dad and his memory. I was not crazy about all of the “Mother Earth” details, so I didn’t think they were truly needed and they seemed forced at times. It was interesting and the plot moved along, but it didn’t keep me in the edge of my seat. That being said, I may read more in the series—just not immediately.

[Sarah Witham · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was good, I really liked the main character but dammit, the typos, in the kindle edition at least, NO BUENO. Missing words, quotation marks missing, added commas and apostrophes where they shouldn’t have been. What on Earth? Probably won’t continue to read the rest if that carries into the remainder of the series, can’t stand grammatical errors in a published piece. There’s no need of it.