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Unhinged
After a decades-long reign of terror, North Carolina’s most prolific serial killer is on the brink of capture. But as Detective Rachel McGowen will soon learn, the only thing more dangerous than an elusive killer is one that feels cornered.
The final installment of the “What Happened to Mia Davis?” trilogy, Unhinged is an introspective exploration of the mind of a madman told from the perspective of the killer himself. Will justice prevail, or will the killings continue?
The final installment of the “What Happened to Mia Davis?” trilogy, Unhinged is an introspective exploration of the mind of a madman told from the perspective of the killer himself. Will justice prevail, or will the killings continue?
299 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2024
6 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
K.T. Carlisle
5 books35 followersK.T. Carlisle is the pseudonym for a Vermont-based murder mystery writer. As far back as she can remember, Carlisle has dedicated her life to the written word. Earning her B.A. in Writing Arts with a concentration in Creative Writing in 2015 from Rowan University, Carlisle received the Excellence in Writing Arts Award. Out of more than 3,500 students, Carlisle was selected for the award based on her exceptional skill as a writer and teacher of writing.
After graduating from Rowan University, Carlisle briefly served as an intern for a literary agency in Manhattan where she was responsible for reviewing incoming submissions and passing them on to suitable agents. Later called westward to Salt Lake City, Carlisle was hired as a copywriter and editor, crafting various ghostwritten articles on behalf of prominent executives within Silicon Valley’s tech industry. Her work has appeared in publications such as Forbes, VentureBeat, Entrepreneur, Inc.com, and USA Today, to name a few.
In late 2018, Carlisle started her own marketing agency, specializing in copywriting, website development, and social media management. Since starting the niche agency, she has had the privilege of developing unique voices for small business owners all over the country, publishing thousands of webpages and blog articles each year.
When she is not busy crafting custom content for clients, Carlisle devotes all of her creative energy towards writing her next novel, as well as spending her days enjoying all the natural beauty that the Green Mountain State has to offer alongside her incredible husband, four crazy dogs, and flock of chickens.
After graduating from Rowan University, Carlisle briefly served as an intern for a literary agency in Manhattan where she was responsible for reviewing incoming submissions and passing them on to suitable agents. Later called westward to Salt Lake City, Carlisle was hired as a copywriter and editor, crafting various ghostwritten articles on behalf of prominent executives within Silicon Valley’s tech industry. Her work has appeared in publications such as Forbes, VentureBeat, Entrepreneur, Inc.com, and USA Today, to name a few.
In late 2018, Carlisle started her own marketing agency, specializing in copywriting, website development, and social media management. Since starting the niche agency, she has had the privilege of developing unique voices for small business owners all over the country, publishing thousands of webpages and blog articles each year.
When she is not busy crafting custom content for clients, Carlisle devotes all of her creative energy towards writing her next novel, as well as spending her days enjoying all the natural beauty that the Green Mountain State has to offer alongside her incredible husband, four crazy dogs, and flock of chickens.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 1, 2024
Unsurprisingly, K.T. Carlisle has done it again.
It? What is it? You may ask.
She's added layers on top of layers of character creation and personality. She's put me in the room with killer, and I'm listening to them pour out their anguish and motivations. I almost feel bad for them.
Although this would be a great standalone story - I STRONGLY urge you to read 'Reasonable' (book 1) and Forget-Me-Not (book 2) before you tackle Unhinged, because part of the joy in this journey is in the intrigue and mystery behind 'What Happened to Mia Davis?'
I've already told K.T. Carlisle that she's one of my favourite indie authors, but I want to tell any possible future readers out there the same thing. The quality of writing, storytelling and character building that this author is able to consistently produce is dreamy and something that helped to open my eyes to the potential in indie authors.
Do yourself a favour and read this entire 3 book series from start to finish, if you're a fan of murder mysteries, thrillers and/or good books.
It? What is it? You may ask.
She's added layers on top of layers of character creation and personality. She's put me in the room with killer, and I'm listening to them pour out their anguish and motivations. I almost feel bad for them.
Although this would be a great standalone story - I STRONGLY urge you to read 'Reasonable' (book 1) and Forget-Me-Not (book 2) before you tackle Unhinged, because part of the joy in this journey is in the intrigue and mystery behind 'What Happened to Mia Davis?'
I've already told K.T. Carlisle that she's one of my favourite indie authors, but I want to tell any possible future readers out there the same thing. The quality of writing, storytelling and character building that this author is able to consistently produce is dreamy and something that helped to open my eyes to the potential in indie authors.
Do yourself a favour and read this entire 3 book series from start to finish, if you're a fan of murder mysteries, thrillers and/or good books.
December 22, 2024
Terrifying, disturbing, and full of suspense!! A perfect end to a brilliant series. Cleverly written in a way that makes you feel sympathy for the villain. I could not put this book down. Its constant action and surprises kept me needing to know what would happen next. Cannot recommend this book enough. It is a must read thriller!!
December 4, 2024
I think this was my favourite in the series. Building the background to the perpetrator from his abused childhood and into his twisted adulthood was a clever way in pulling all the strands together. It was one of those books I didn't really want to end as I was loving it so much. This series is a 'must-read'.
December 18, 2024
The third and final installment of the What Happened to Mia Davis series, we are whisked away into the mind of a serial killer with a horrifying past, and we get to watch the descent into madness and while you almost feel sorry for the killer, we are invited to see the thought processes behind every decision meticulously made until they weren't.
Devoured in less than 24 hours, I could not put this book down. This was the perfect ending to an amazing series. We got to see the POV from everyone by the end, and I loved getting to see the backstory leading up to the murder of Elaine from 4 points of view - unique and fascinating! Carlisle has a flair about her writing that keeps you hooked from the second you open her books, and Unhinged is no exception. I absolutely recommend reading the first two books before this one in order to a) understand everyone else's side of the story and b) everyone needs to suffer the same heart racing experience i did getting to the finale.
Devoured in less than 24 hours, I could not put this book down. This was the perfect ending to an amazing series. We got to see the POV from everyone by the end, and I loved getting to see the backstory leading up to the murder of Elaine from 4 points of view - unique and fascinating! Carlisle has a flair about her writing that keeps you hooked from the second you open her books, and Unhinged is no exception. I absolutely recommend reading the first two books before this one in order to a) understand everyone else's side of the story and b) everyone needs to suffer the same heart racing experience i did getting to the finale.
December 18, 2024
Another page-turner from K.T. Carlisle!
This third installment of the What Happened to Mia Davis trilogy takes you back to the very beginning, where a monster was born, and at long last gives the reader the denouement we've been craving since book one.
I normally am not a big fan of stories that try to get us to pity serial killers. What they do is horrible, and yes, many of them have had terrible pasts, but that doesn't excuse what they do.
This, however, was a different take. I never felt that K.T. was trying to get me on Michael's side. She does a good job of showing us Michael as a child, and allowing us to feel what we all must feel when we read about a child suffering: heartache and a desire to rescue them.
But once Michael grows up and becomes a killer, the intrigue becomes less about us wanting him to succeed, and more about the final unravelling of the puzzle. It is compelling in the same way that the last chapter of a mystery novel is compelling: where the detective finally reveals the exact way the murder was done, and how it was covered up.
Spending so much time in the mind of a killer could be a very dark and uncomfortable place, but it was tempered enough by the other characters and events in Michael's life that it became a page-turning thrill rather than a grotesque peek through one's fingers.
The take on him having "demons" that take control of his body and help him with his crimes is interesting in a series that has previously included supernatural elements. Are we meant to believe these are literal demons? Or is it simply a personality disorder?
The writing is immersive, and for those who have read books one and two, you will eat up this new perspective, racing through the pages to find those familiar scenes and discover them with new eyes. Not many authors give us 3 chances to hang out with characters in the same story, and others have said it, but it does feel very TV mini-series-like. Like each new episode could go back and fill in more blanks in the story until we have the full picture.
My only qualms with the story were very minor and all had to do with my thinking certain things Micheal did might not fly under the radar as long as they seemed to. But it does nothing to hinder the story, and they are not so major that it becomes unbelievable. And most of the ideas K.T. uses are actually quite clever and unique, so that makes up for it all.
I had also really hoped we might hear more from Elaine. After she appeared as a supernatural force in book 2 I was hoping she might show up again so we could have some closure on her experience in the afterlife, and/or that she might add some intrigue into the other parts of the investigation. Alas, there just aren't enough pages for everything I guess! But that's a good sign, wanting MORE. That's when you know you're really into the story.
If you're looking for a unique take on the thriller genre, get yourself this trilogy. You'll fly through it.
This third installment of the What Happened to Mia Davis trilogy takes you back to the very beginning, where a monster was born, and at long last gives the reader the denouement we've been craving since book one.
I normally am not a big fan of stories that try to get us to pity serial killers. What they do is horrible, and yes, many of them have had terrible pasts, but that doesn't excuse what they do.
This, however, was a different take. I never felt that K.T. was trying to get me on Michael's side. She does a good job of showing us Michael as a child, and allowing us to feel what we all must feel when we read about a child suffering: heartache and a desire to rescue them.
But once Michael grows up and becomes a killer, the intrigue becomes less about us wanting him to succeed, and more about the final unravelling of the puzzle. It is compelling in the same way that the last chapter of a mystery novel is compelling: where the detective finally reveals the exact way the murder was done, and how it was covered up.
Spending so much time in the mind of a killer could be a very dark and uncomfortable place, but it was tempered enough by the other characters and events in Michael's life that it became a page-turning thrill rather than a grotesque peek through one's fingers.
The take on him having "demons" that take control of his body and help him with his crimes is interesting in a series that has previously included supernatural elements. Are we meant to believe these are literal demons? Or is it simply a personality disorder?
The writing is immersive, and for those who have read books one and two, you will eat up this new perspective, racing through the pages to find those familiar scenes and discover them with new eyes. Not many authors give us 3 chances to hang out with characters in the same story, and others have said it, but it does feel very TV mini-series-like. Like each new episode could go back and fill in more blanks in the story until we have the full picture.
My only qualms with the story were very minor and all had to do with my thinking certain things Micheal did might not fly under the radar as long as they seemed to. But it does nothing to hinder the story, and they are not so major that it becomes unbelievable. And most of the ideas K.T. uses are actually quite clever and unique, so that makes up for it all.
I had also really hoped we might hear more from Elaine. After she appeared as a supernatural force in book 2 I was hoping she might show up again so we could have some closure on her experience in the afterlife, and/or that she might add some intrigue into the other parts of the investigation. Alas, there just aren't enough pages for everything I guess! But that's a good sign, wanting MORE. That's when you know you're really into the story.
If you're looking for a unique take on the thriller genre, get yourself this trilogy. You'll fly through it.
December 19, 2024
I haven’t read the first two installments in the “What Happened to Mia Davis” trilogy, but this book intrigued me. While I’m sure that readers already familiar with these characters gained additional insights, UNHINGED stands alone - which is a testament to author K.T. Carlisle’s storytelling skill.
The novel takes us inside the mind of the story’s villain—and what a scary place that is! Michael/Tim is devious, manipulative, and driven by the dark voices in his brain that tell him to do terrible things. The details here are spot-on, making this book so chilling and believable.
The story then becomes a game of cat-and-mouse. Will Michael/Tim (he constructs a seemingly airtight “secret identity”) make a mistake that leads to his capture? Or will he add more victims to his growing list? UNHINGED kept me turning pages to find out!
Please be aware that there are some dark, violent scenes in this well-told story. But that is to be expected in a character study of a serial killer. If you have any interest in crime fiction, this book is one to explore!
The novel takes us inside the mind of the story’s villain—and what a scary place that is! Michael/Tim is devious, manipulative, and driven by the dark voices in his brain that tell him to do terrible things. The details here are spot-on, making this book so chilling and believable.
The story then becomes a game of cat-and-mouse. Will Michael/Tim (he constructs a seemingly airtight “secret identity”) make a mistake that leads to his capture? Or will he add more victims to his growing list? UNHINGED kept me turning pages to find out!
Please be aware that there are some dark, violent scenes in this well-told story. But that is to be expected in a character study of a serial killer. If you have any interest in crime fiction, this book is one to explore!
November 27, 2024
What a conclusion.
Everything leading up to this was mind-blowing. This is an in-depth look into the suspect that has built suspicion over the last two books. You can read exactly how he came to be. What caused him to be. How he felt about everything that has been occurring through the last books.
You absolutely have to read it as a trilogy in order. This book just wouldn’t hold without the others before it. The conclusion to the story as a whole is quick. This book is mainly the story of the villain.
One of my favorite series of the year.
Come read with me on instagram @booksy.tx.ana
Everything leading up to this was mind-blowing. This is an in-depth look into the suspect that has built suspicion over the last two books. You can read exactly how he came to be. What caused him to be. How he felt about everything that has been occurring through the last books.
You absolutely have to read it as a trilogy in order. This book just wouldn’t hold without the others before it. The conclusion to the story as a whole is quick. This book is mainly the story of the villain.
One of my favorite series of the year.
Come read with me on instagram @booksy.tx.ana
November 21, 2024
Reading this book made me sad because the series was over. These 3 books were amazing and you need to read them.
October 31, 2024
WHAT A WILD RIDE!! I have been invested since book 1 and the third and conclusion of the series did not disappoint.
From the perspective of the killer, it gave such a voice to the dark and twisted that was inside the killer we now know and I AM HERE FOR IT! Such a good series and I’m so happy I got to read it during spooky season! Well done KT!
From the perspective of the killer, it gave such a voice to the dark and twisted that was inside the killer we now know and I AM HERE FOR IT! Such a good series and I’m so happy I got to read it during spooky season! Well done KT!
December 1, 2024
WOW! What an ending to a spectacular book series by K.T.! I LOVED the entire series and I felt this was a fitting ending to the book series.
As a reader we get to find out what happened to Mia Davis and why. We also get to hear from the killer's pov in this one, which I LOVED. It was interesting and engaging to hear from the killer and all about their entire life up to the ending. It explains why they did what they did and for their reasons. I really liked the backstory as you also feel bad for the killer throughout the story as you hear about their lives. That was a truly interesting twist to this last book!
I think the author has done a superb job with the series and this last book was a perfect ending for Mia, Cat, Evan, and even Tim. I would love to read more by the author in the future as the writing was really engaging and I could not put the series down until it was finished.
As a reader we get to find out what happened to Mia Davis and why. We also get to hear from the killer's pov in this one, which I LOVED. It was interesting and engaging to hear from the killer and all about their entire life up to the ending. It explains why they did what they did and for their reasons. I really liked the backstory as you also feel bad for the killer throughout the story as you hear about their lives. That was a truly interesting twist to this last book!
I think the author has done a superb job with the series and this last book was a perfect ending for Mia, Cat, Evan, and even Tim. I would love to read more by the author in the future as the writing was really engaging and I could not put the series down until it was finished.
October 6, 2024
Unhinged is the brilliant conclusion to the "What Happened to Mia Davis" series. When I tell y'all I flew through this series, what I mean is I literally couldn't eat, sleep, or read anything else until I was finished. Each book in the series is told from different POV's, and we get to see through the eyes of the killer in Unhinged. Their backstory is absolutely gut-wrenching, and I found it so interesting to be able to follow along through flashbacks as they went from being a "good" child to them becoming a deranged killer. I am in complete awe of the amount of brain power it must have taken the author to keep all the information straight while telling the story from all the different POV's. The first two books left on cliff hangers, and the conclusion ended in a way that had me immediately messaging the author to talk about it in a good way.
January 18, 2026
Unhinged was the conclusion to a great trilogy written by K.T. Carlisle. It was a fitting end in my opinion, even though the story gets kicked into overdrive after part one. Seeing how everything connects between the three books was masterfully done. Thanks to K.T.’s writing ability, you don’t lose the story at all.
From the first book in the What Happened to Mia Davis? Trilogy, it solidified me as a fan of K.T. Carlisle and ensured that I will be reading whatever she writes. If you are looking for a fantastic dark drama series to read, this is definitely the one for you.
I’m still waiting for something like HBO to pick this trilogy up for adaptation.
From the first book in the What Happened to Mia Davis? Trilogy, it solidified me as a fan of K.T. Carlisle and ensured that I will be reading whatever she writes. If you are looking for a fantastic dark drama series to read, this is definitely the one for you.
I’m still waiting for something like HBO to pick this trilogy up for adaptation.
October 11, 2024
Oh my gosh, the last book of this series got way darker than I expected but it pays off.
We get all the events of the last two books (and more) from Michael/Tim’s POV which gives clarity to so much of the story. This finale book is full of great moments that made me go “Oh, so that’s how that happened.”
Overall really enjoyed how Carlisle wrapped up this story. Makes me sad to let some of these characters go now that it’s over!
We get all the events of the last two books (and more) from Michael/Tim’s POV which gives clarity to so much of the story. This finale book is full of great moments that made me go “Oh, so that’s how that happened.”
Overall really enjoyed how Carlisle wrapped up this story. Makes me sad to let some of these characters go now that it’s over!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2024
I hadn't read the first two in the series but picked up this book and then couldn't put it down again. What a story!
The author has an engaging voice and the MC is deep and believable and you feel sorry for him even though he's also terrible.
Be careful if any triggers around violence/abuse, some of the initial scenes were very difficult to read because the author's voice is so convincing.
Overall, a really good and interesting read.
The author has an engaging voice and the MC is deep and believable and you feel sorry for him even though he's also terrible.
Be careful if any triggers around violence/abuse, some of the initial scenes were very difficult to read because the author's voice is so convincing.
Overall, a really good and interesting read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2024
Waited a while for the third book to be released and it did not disappoint! All viewpoints shared across the three books made for an exciting and suspenseful read.
February 9, 2025
I don't know what to say or how I feel.... I didn't see this coming!! A must-read!! Great series!!
July 30, 2025
I devoured this book. Fabulous and creepy!
June 10, 2025
I'm a "happy ending" kind of guy AND I get rather connected to characters in books. That being said, I entered this book wondering, will Cat be exonerated? (I had a pretty good feeling at the end of book 2 that Cat was innocent, but you never know with Ms. Carlisle!) What about Rachel? The other "innocents" as I like to call them. I'm not going to tell you here--that's for you to find out by reading another wonderfully written K.T. Carlisle masterpiece!
What I will tell you is that I've found all of Carlisle books to be well researched and well written. I really felt like I was witnessing an investigation into a serial killer and she really put us into the heads of all of the characters. This is why I believe these to be well researched--because after talking with the author, I don't believe her to be a psychopath! The lives of all of the characters in this series are messy, but that's what real life is too! Not all of these messy lives will end with happy endings, but I believe that you'll be pleasantly surprised by the way Carlisle ends this one!
What I will tell you is that I've found all of Carlisle books to be well researched and well written. I really felt like I was witnessing an investigation into a serial killer and she really put us into the heads of all of the characters. This is why I believe these to be well researched--because after talking with the author, I don't believe her to be a psychopath! The lives of all of the characters in this series are messy, but that's what real life is too! Not all of these messy lives will end with happy endings, but I believe that you'll be pleasantly surprised by the way Carlisle ends this one!
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