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Bree Noble #1
Empty Soul
LAFD Arson Investigator Bree Noble can smell the difference between a natural fire and arson. Ever since a suspicious fire claimed the lives of her parents, Bree’s life mission has been to stop arsonists—but after a deadly new fire, she may just be up against the case of her life…
Bree uncovers a trail of infernos set by a distinct chemical compound and must use her skills and brave the flames of her past to find, and stop, a cold-blooded killer.
EMPTY SOUL (A Bree Noble Suspense Thriller—Book 1) is the first novel in a new series by mystery and suspense author Laura Rise.
An engrossing and intense crime thriller with an exceptionally clever yet emotionally scarred female protagonist at its heart, Bree Noble delivers a compelling series brimming with relentless excitement, unexpected plot twists, shocking discoveries, and a rapid tempo that ensures you'll be flipping pages well into the night. Fans of Rachel Caine, Teresa Driscoll, and Lisa Gardner are sure to fall in love.
Future books in the series are also available!
Bree uncovers a trail of infernos set by a distinct chemical compound and must use her skills and brave the flames of her past to find, and stop, a cold-blooded killer.
EMPTY SOUL (A Bree Noble Suspense Thriller—Book 1) is the first novel in a new series by mystery and suspense author Laura Rise.
An engrossing and intense crime thriller with an exceptionally clever yet emotionally scarred female protagonist at its heart, Bree Noble delivers a compelling series brimming with relentless excitement, unexpected plot twists, shocking discoveries, and a rapid tempo that ensures you'll be flipping pages well into the night. Fans of Rachel Caine, Teresa Driscoll, and Lisa Gardner are sure to fall in love.
Future books in the series are also available!
152 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2024
335 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 16, 2025
Listened to this during my commute. I didn't care for the AI voice and the excessive use of metaphors and similes. I felt the author was trying too hard to meet a word quota.
June 20, 2024
So honestly - I’m not sure about this book in general nor how I feel about it being the start of a series. Does it have good bones? Yes. Was it easy to follow but not too easy? Yes. Did it have an interesting angle of being with the LAFD instead of a cop, a sheriff, or an FBI agent? Yes.
However, while this book was only 166 pages, I felt like 10 pages were just being repeated over and over again. Like literal repeats of past pages. How tired she was, how she was working from home, how she kept having flashbacks, etc, etc. if this had been kept down a bit, I would have enjoyed it more.
I do like the partnership aspect and I really liked that there was an old mentor/friend/savior that was relied on to get a different feel for the case and to bounce thoughts off of. I also liked that her partner got pissed at her and let her know about it in no uncertain terms but they were able to come together as a team like they always had done.
At this point I’m not sure if I’ll read any more in this series since I wasn’t completely on board with it.
Did find a few typos but nothing crazy that made it hard to read or follow at any point.
However, while this book was only 166 pages, I felt like 10 pages were just being repeated over and over again. Like literal repeats of past pages. How tired she was, how she was working from home, how she kept having flashbacks, etc, etc. if this had been kept down a bit, I would have enjoyed it more.
I do like the partnership aspect and I really liked that there was an old mentor/friend/savior that was relied on to get a different feel for the case and to bounce thoughts off of. I also liked that her partner got pissed at her and let her know about it in no uncertain terms but they were able to come together as a team like they always had done.
At this point I’m not sure if I’ll read any more in this series since I wasn’t completely on board with it.
Did find a few typos but nothing crazy that made it hard to read or follow at any point.
September 29, 2024
Empty Soul, A Bree Noble Suspense Thriller, Book One, by Laura Rise was well written, fiery hot, and suspense filled.Bree Noble lost her parents in a fire when she was much younger. Bree escaped the home fire but parents didn't. As an adult, Bree discovered she could smell each fire's makeup, what accelerant was used, and if there was a specific starting pattern to the fire. A friend of Bree's died when her apartment burst into flames. Through Bree's ability, she knew the fire was exactly like the fire that killed another person, Mia Porter. However, the LAFD declared Mia's fire and death an accident. In addition, Bree's Chief told Bree to drop continuing to focus on Mia. Bree doesn't listen.
Then another woman dies in a strikingly similar fire and Bree smells the accelerant is the same one used in both Mia's and Bree's friend's fire. Bree is the first to believe there is a serial arsonist.
An engrossing, very good read. I look forward to reading more books by Laura Read, whether as part of book series or not. Empty Soul, while the first book in the Bree Noble series, is a fully standalone book.
Then another woman dies in a strikingly similar fire and Bree smells the accelerant is the same one used in both Mia's and Bree's friend's fire. Bree is the first to believe there is a serial arsonist.
An engrossing, very good read. I look forward to reading more books by Laura Read, whether as part of book series or not. Empty Soul, while the first book in the Bree Noble series, is a fully standalone book.
October 20, 2024
Bree Noble is a fire investigator with the Los Angeles fire department and lost her parents to an horrific fire which we are constantly being reminded about. She has a special trait under her belt she can detect the chemicals used in fire. Bree and her boss Mike are investigating the deaths of a number of young single girls who worked for the same chemical company, the 2nd victim Jenny Hann was a friend of Bree's, and she takes her death personally.
The book had some good points to it, but it was getting to be fairly repetitive and it was rather a very short book. She does find the serial arsonist in the end, of course she does! But the book lacked any real substance, I think if this had been a fuller more rounded and padded book it could have been so much better, pulled us into the mystery and deeper into the drama. But it didn't.
The book had some good points to it, but it was getting to be fairly repetitive and it was rather a very short book. She does find the serial arsonist in the end, of course she does! But the book lacked any real substance, I think if this had been a fuller more rounded and padded book it could have been so much better, pulled us into the mystery and deeper into the drama. But it didn't.
August 28, 2024
Good Story Line
Bree is a Fire investigator. It’s great to see that she and her partner work well together. Too many books I’ve read have the male partner treated like a go-for. At any rate, women working for a company that uses chemical in its product’s are being burned to death in their homes in a fire that is inescapable.
Mike and Bree chase dead end after dead end. Meanwhile women are dying. It’s an almost impossible case.
I found the story line really good. However, the constant long winded retelling of how her parents died became boring. Along with the long winded explanations of nearly everything was boring. In some cases all you had to read was the first line or 2 of each paragraph.
I probably won’t read this author again. Well, maybe I will.🤔🤔🤔🤔
Bree is a Fire investigator. It’s great to see that she and her partner work well together. Too many books I’ve read have the male partner treated like a go-for. At any rate, women working for a company that uses chemical in its product’s are being burned to death in their homes in a fire that is inescapable.
Mike and Bree chase dead end after dead end. Meanwhile women are dying. It’s an almost impossible case.
I found the story line really good. However, the constant long winded retelling of how her parents died became boring. Along with the long winded explanations of nearly everything was boring. In some cases all you had to read was the first line or 2 of each paragraph.
I probably won’t read this author again. Well, maybe I will.🤔🤔🤔🤔
March 23, 2025
1/2 the way through the book, I was intrigued enough to still continue. The two central characters and plot with an arsonist out seeking revenge in the worst way seemingly able to outsmart them at each turn was pretty good. There were a few glitches, but nothing I haven't been seeing in other books recently. Then, about 2/3 into it, it lost me. I just couldn't get my interest back. The book peaked and was good to go. It continued on.... At first, I thought I was listening to a sequel. Nope, it was the next chapter. It took so much scrambling to readjust, and it lost the flow. (Note of honesty: I was working on a spreadsheet at the time, so I wasn't fully engaged. However, this is normally how I read/listen to my books. IDK It may be an off day for me & not the book.)
January 2, 2025
Empty Soul
Laura Rise
A chilling page-turner!
Wow! I could not read fast enough. I was in there with Bree every step of the way - willing her to be cautious, urging her on, telling her what she needed to see.
I found another author who hooked me!
Well done, Laura Rise!
Laura Rise
A chilling page-turner!
Wow! I could not read fast enough. I was in there with Bree every step of the way - willing her to be cautious, urging her on, telling her what she needed to see.
I found another author who hooked me!
Well done, Laura Rise!
July 3, 2024
When you're rolling your eyes, muttering "Good Lord..," and wishing a 187-page book would just end already, you know those aren't positive signs.
The dialogue was stiff and the plot was just endless bogs of repetition which all culminated in an uneventful, bland conclusion.
Set fire to this one.
The dialogue was stiff and the plot was just endless bogs of repetition which all culminated in an uneventful, bland conclusion.
Set fire to this one.
August 29, 2024
Mmm, writing was just far too repetitive, on every page we were reminded that the stakes were high, Bree was an expert, Bree had lost her parents in a fire, time was running out…
Very short book and if it wasn’t for all the padding it would be a novella!
I basically speed read to get to the end and sadly won’t be continuing the series
Very short book and if it wasn’t for all the padding it would be a novella!
I basically speed read to get to the end and sadly won’t be continuing the series
September 28, 2024
If you removed all the repeated references to her parents dying in a fire, it feels that the book would be half the size (probably an exaggeration but omg...). The story would have been enjoyable if not for that issue
November 19, 2024
Book 1
Book 1 was an okay read. The MC was so repetitive it took a while for me to read the entire book. The plot was okay and predictable in some ways. I will not be reading book 2.
Book 1 was an okay read. The MC was so repetitive it took a while for me to read the entire book. The plot was okay and predictable in some ways. I will not be reading book 2.
December 20, 2024
wordy
WAY too descriptive in so many places. I actually skipped paragraphs because I didn’t need all the verbiage to follow the storyline. Adjectives and adverbs have their places, but were seriously overused.
WAY too descriptive in so many places. I actually skipped paragraphs because I didn’t need all the verbiage to follow the storyline. Adjectives and adverbs have their places, but were seriously overused.
January 26, 2025
Was a great book!
The book was great, the plot was awesome, the characters were great. I gave it a 3 because it was very repetitive. Certain points were told over and over and over again. The book started to get hard to read for me.
The book was great, the plot was awesome, the characters were great. I gave it a 3 because it was very repetitive. Certain points were told over and over and over again. The book started to get hard to read for me.
February 18, 2025
2.75 stars ⭐️⭐️✨
This has workable bones and okay characters but it is very short for a series set up. It felt like it was a lot of repetition but not in a reinforcing way, more in a for lack of anything else to say way.
This has workable bones and okay characters but it is very short for a series set up. It felt like it was a lot of repetition but not in a reinforcing way, more in a for lack of anything else to say way.
August 18, 2024
I enjoyed the book. Looking forward to Empty House.
August 18, 2024
Mediocre Plot
This book lacked substance. I skimmed thru most of it. You met the killer early in the book so you had to stick it out to find out how the detectives did it.
This book lacked substance. I skimmed thru most of it. You met the killer early in the book so you had to stick it out to find out how the detectives did it.
October 26, 2024
This was so drawn out and slow I has to skip 50% so I could finish the book.
October 29, 2024
A pretty good story by Laura Rise. I look forward to the next book in the series. 3.5 stars
November 10, 2024
This novel could benefit quite a bit from meticulous editing.
November 10, 2024
This was a decent read. Letting the reader see what the characters couldn’t felt a little frustrating, but it didn’t take away from the story.
December 16, 2024
DNF not for me
March 27, 2025
great reading
Storyline moved quickly even though it provided the character’s background. Hard to put down. Highly recommend. Anxious to read next book in the series.
Storyline moved quickly even though it provided the character’s background. Hard to put down. Highly recommend. Anxious to read next book in the series.
August 12, 2025
Fire
This book is a look into what fire investigators do, to find the causes, and persons behind arsons. The book was very interesting. I had a hard time putting it down.
This book is a look into what fire investigators do, to find the causes, and persons behind arsons. The book was very interesting. I had a hard time putting it down.
January 10, 2026
VERY repetitive writing. Did you know the main character’s parents died in fire? If you didn’t, she’ll remind you every other paragraph. Struggled hard to get through this one.
November 25, 2024
Super quick read and was intriguing at a few points in the book but got boring and seemed like the story didn’t even need to be this long when it’s a short book to begin with. Not sure if it’s worth reading the entire series …
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews