In The Way

by Ava Strong

When iconic death scenes from literature start happening in real life, it's up to FBI Agent Elle Keen to decipher the clues and catch the killer before another chapter is written in blood…

An enthralling crime thriller with a captivating and complex female protagonist, Elle Keen is a riveting mystery series with non-stop action, suspense, and unexpected plot twists that are guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat well into the night. Fans of Robert Dugoni, Karin Slaughter, and Lisa Gardner are sure to fall in love.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

160 pages, Paperback

Published April 24, 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

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a big disappointment. I found the story confusing and the pacing disjointed. Things jumped all over the place and it was hard to keep track of where and when the story was at from point to point.

I also did not connect to any of the characters, particularly Elle. I got a sense the author was trying to present her as having some sort of challenge, whether Asperger's or autism or something else it wasn't made clear and the very vague references to her code breaking skills were more confusing than anything else.

I just couldn't get into this book at all. I am calling this a DNF at the 35% mark.

[Ann Beyer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Confused.

This is total confusion. First they're driving in the pitch dark of night. Then next paragraph it's early morning as the night throws off its cloak to dawn. Then they get a call and race off as nightfalls on traffic. It seems the author can't decide if it needs to be daybreak, nightfall, evening. It's amazing how often she uses the different times of day. The race off and the destination is 15 minutes away. It's just starting sunrise, as they arrive It's just falling night. In 15 minutes? What planet has a 20 minute or less daylight? No thanks. First and last book by this author for me.

[Terri Miller · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t waste your time.

I do not recommend reading this book. It is not a good read. There are too many truly good books to waste your time on this one.

[Marilyn L Noble · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very redundantly written.

[Annette Sullivan · Rating 1 out of 5]

nope

I laugh, the first chapter being, I admit barely a few pages, put me completely off reading anymore.
But if you love love love Shakespeare, perhaps ……

[Mrs Susan J Bociek · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frustrating

The storyline, which is quite good, is drowned in needless words by the author. Repetitive words, like 'twisted', scattered liberally around. Then other repetitions: the thing about her hair, his scar, her parents, his blue suits, that poppy.....details that pop up again and again for no apparent reason without explanation. Dramatic phrases have fluffed out the book, which by rights should only be half the size it is. Apologies if this seems harsh, it is intended as constructive for any future writing.

[Cris Armstrong · Rating 2 out of 5]

could have had promise

I read this as a free book through bookbub.com, and the story does hold real promise, the right trope, a good amount of action and intrigue but the proofing and editing leave much to be desired. For example, on one page FMC is holding her gun, a few paragraphs later she rests her hand on her holster for comfort. Needs consistency and continuity in the content.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ava Strong’s In The Way is a gripping psychological thriller that brings a literary twist to the serial killer genre. When iconic death scenes from classic literature begin unfolding in real life, FBI Agent Elle Keen must unravel the clues and outsmart a murderer who is using books as inspiration for their deadly crimes.

One of the standout aspects of this novel is its ability to be read as a standalone, despite being part of a series. As someone who often finds myself accidentally reading books out of order (no matter how hard I try not to! LOL), I truly appreciate when an author crafts a story that doesn’t leave me feeling lost. This made In The Way even more enjoyable, as I could fully immerse myself in the mystery without needing prior knowledge of the series.

Elle Keen is a phenomenal protagonist—sharp, intuitive, and deeply compelling. Her knack for decoding puzzles and literary references makes her the perfect match for this chilling case. As someone who enjoys cracking codes and solving riddles myself, I found Elle’s investigative style particularly fascinating. Her intelligence and determination kept me engaged, and I couldn’t help but imagine how thrilling it would be to have her job at the FBI.

The novel is fast-paced, with non-stop suspense that keeps you turning pages late into the night. The killer’s method—recreating famous death scenes from classic novels—adds a chilling layer to the mystery, making each crime scene feel eerily familiar yet horrifyingly unique.

Overall, In The Way is an enthralling crime thriller that combines literary intrigue with a relentless game of cat and mouse. With a strong, intelligent lead and a plot full of suspense, this book is perfect for fans of psychological mysteries with a dark, clever edge.

[Teresa · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very “Not Good” book 🤣

Written in the style I call a “diarrhea of words” this mess of a book delivers constant idiotic prose on every page.
At first its not too bad, but it gets worse and worse until it blots out any plot or storyline…

Read on a Kobo, page 77 of Arriving at a murder scene:
“Not yet the chaos of a crime scene but instead the eerie quiet of a place violently disrupted and then abandoned to the silence of an unsolved mystery”
“The air was stale with an undercurrent of panic that lingered like a bad memory”
“ The transition was palpable as they approached the bathroom doorway. The silence deepened, pressing against Elle’s eardrums with the weight of anticipation “
“With a steadiness born of years threading through the webs of deceipt and secrecy, Elle extracted her smartphone from her pocket. She angled the lens with precision, capturing the coded page in high resolution, ensuring that not a single mark was left out of focus. Each click of her camera was a silent vow to dissect the message, to strip away layers of subterfuge until truth lay bare”

Ms Strong could also not keep time straight. They got into the car for a meeting “… as the sun rose” , drove into the city, rush hour at the end of day. ( What?) Then the bright morning sunlight blinding them…..”as dusk greyed the skies”
They arrive on time for the morning meeting

OMG.
It got worse and worse until I just stopped at page 308 of 769. I could not read anymore.
🤢🤢🤢🤮

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a few of Ms Strong's books and usually enjoy them, however, this book was not one of her better ones. It's a good plot with good characters but oh, the flowery prose! To quote Shakespeare himself, "An honest tale speeds best being plainly told". After the first chapter or so, there were so many repeat descriptions of the streak of white in her hair and her partner's body that I started just skimming a lot of the paragraphs. I think the book could have used half the descriptions and fleshed out the story better. Also, the editing could have been better, in addition to the time confusion (now it's daybreak, a short time later it's nighttime, etc.) when a friend of one of the victims was being questioned, she was referred to as Linda, and then Lisa, Lisa, Lisa and then when leaving the scene, back to Linda again. The lack of vulgar language and gratuitous sex scenes was a huge plus for me, as I read mystery/thrillers for the plot lines and not the smut. I will still probably read another book by this author as the ones in the past have been very good.

[sharon furr · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first chapter rather impressed me. The language was beautifully descriptive. The author used many literary devices, metaphors, similes, alliteration. After that, it was incredibly redundant. Almost as if for each murder scene and investigation, the author practically copied and pasted from the previous. The main character was described as almost super human. For a while, I thought she was going to turn out to be AI. Her partner was described frequently throughout the book as if we had not already heard about his crew cut and scarred face. Many times, suspects/persons of interest reaction to them were unexplainable, and I would have to go back to reread to see if I had missed something. No. They said they were FBI and the person freaked out. It was painful, but I managed to finish it.

[Marian Sefcik · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the second book by this author I’ve read and it is just as disappointing as the first one. Over use of phrases “fitted blue suit” “prematurely white streak” and words “labyrinth and labyrinthine “ gives the impression of a student that had to write an essay containing a certain number of words. And once again misspelled words and typos. Get a proofreader!

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe this series is not for me, although the plot is interesting it has too much Shakespeare and too much guessing from Elle's part while it lacks more fast-paced action. I cannot relate to the main character or the way she deals with her cases/partner.
I thank Ms. Strong for this ARC.

[Fayetta Wilcox · Rating 4 out of 5]

just a note

A little disappointed with the misspelling of several words and the plot a little hard to grasp.
Seems like every chapter includes a description of the FBI agent Elle’s hair.

[tanya dirling · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spelling and use of words

In then first book I spotted a spelling error and in know that it happens but this book had several spelling mistakes and errors in word use.
Disappointed.

[Emma Summers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could’ve been an interesting plot but the mistakes and repetition totally put me off.
How many times can you say Elle had a white streak in her hair, or Tom wore a tailored suit or had a scar on his face.
Very poorly written!!

[Liza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know enough Shakespeare that I could enjoy the quotes. I couldn't really track her 'deciphering' of the clues.

The author needs a new, better proof-reader - very poor job.

[John Rosario · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elle gets her man!!

Love the subtle romantic foreplay between her and Tom. I foresee Tom and Elle becoming a thing. Will this be something Elle will regret or get hurt by it?

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have seen some of the comments on this book. I liked it but it was hard to follow along. I had to keep going back to see what I didn't get on the other page.

[Kate Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

Poorly edited..several inaccuracies on timeline. Language rather forced and stilted... trying too hard to paint pictures when simpler prose would flow better

[Tineka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many spelling errors

[Chuck · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very wordy and disjointed.