The Assistant

by Winter K. Willis

When the body of a local woman is discovered by the lake, the small town of Aldercreek is thrown into chaos. This tight-knit community of successful families and well-kept secrets is suddenly confronted with a dark mystery. Just as the dust begins to settle, a newcomer Eden, an outsider with quiet intensity and a hidden agenda. She knows more than she lets on, and as she digs into the town’s history, old wounds and dark secrets begin to resurface.

Beneath Aldercreek’s polished surface, Eden stirs suspicions, revealing a web of manipulation and mind games among its seemingly perfect residents. Long-buried family secrets and rivalries come to light, threatening to unravel the lives of those involved. Tension mounts as Eden’s search uncovers connections to the dead woman that no one wants exposed. Suspicion shifts from one familiar face to another, while Eden’s own motives remain a mystery, adding layers to an already suspenseful puzzle.

In this gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller, nothing—and no one—is as they seem. As Eden’s investigation digs deeper, the stakes grow higher, forcing the residents to confront the twisted truth hiding in plain sight. This page-turner is filled with dark secrets, mystery, and suspense, promising to keep readers hooked until the final reveal.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction

480 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2025

About the author

Winter K. Willis is a pseudonym for our two-person writing team. We like to think of it as our band name.

Reviews

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was a surprising little nugget!

The Assistant brings us to Aldercreek, a little town full og big secrets. Eden, our FMC arrives, a newcomer raises suspicion in a small town- especially one with a recent murder.

The tension in this book is visceral. Even when you're still not sure WHY, you are on the edge of your seat. If you love creepy, atmospheric mysteries and a great final hook- get ready for this! Due out next April- I want to thank BookSirens and the author for the chance to read and review. It kept me up at night!

[Sophiaaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved it! I was gripping on the edge of my seat the whole time. I could not put this down! Sooo many twists and turns! Definitely can’t wait to read more from Winter!

Thank you to Net Galley for sharing this ARC copy with me..

Publish date is 4/7/25.

I definitely recommend it!

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

They say revenge is best served cold! This suspenseful story delivers just that. This book kept me invested the entire time, as the tension continued to build! Meet Eden, who suffered a loss a very young age yet she persevered & created a good life for herself. However, she still holds a grudge for those that wronged her family years ago, and despite her attempting to move on she simply can’t. When she returns to her hometown, she plots & brilliantly comes up with ways to execute her plan. She is a very likable protagonist in this story..

Overall, The Assistant was a very enjoyable read. Strong character development, suspenseful & I never got bored with the story. My second read by Winter K. Willis and I plan to continue reading this duo’s work. I really enjoyed their writing style. Thank you Victory Editing and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

[Rudy Hurley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Booksprout for the advanced copy of The Assistant by Winter K Willis.
Eden arrives in Aldercreek, a city, near Seattle. She is soon hired as an assistant to a realtor and mayoral candidate, Liv. However, people are not who they seem and everyone has a secret. Each chapter is told from different characters' point of view. As the story progresses, the secrets are revealed.
I loved seeing how the characters' lies and storylines were connected. This was definitely a suspenseful page turner and I was hooked!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fiona Cameron · Rating 2 out of 5]

For having such good reviews and short chapters this book took me forever to finish. Nothing happened for about 70% of the book and by then I couldn’t care what happened. Half the characters weren’t even needed. Disappointed to say the least 😞

[Jessie Paige · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like the set up was intriguing and then the ‘twist’ and ending was so.. boring
In the end most of the characters were redundant.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know everyone says this, but it's true - I could not put this down! The writers kept the story moving and had great twists I did not anticipate. The plot is solid, and the character development was really well explored. The end was wonderfully satisfying and tied everything up neatly. So good!

[Sheri Peters]

Karma

I never read any of this author's books before so I decided to try one. I was hooked. This is the second book and its quality is as good as the first. I'm really going to enjoy reading more. This deserves five stars. Sheri Peters

[Kim Roeder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd say I did t feel invested or really interested until somewhere in the 80+chapter. I paid for it so I kept listening but in 2x speed to get through it. Not horrible just not my kind of read.

[Nik · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow-burn, suspenseful mystery that’s worth taking the time to solve, as the tension and anticipation steadily build. It’s like peeling an onion—once you remove one layer, there’s always another underneath.

There’s a mysterious aura surrounding the two main characters Liv and Eden. A lot of care was taken to flesh out their characters as we slowly begin to understand who they are and where their motivations come from. Eden seems to hold a serious grudge against Liv and is out for revenge… but Liv doesn’t even know who Eden is. So what’s driving Eden? And what exactly did Liv do? We also have two side characters - Sandy and Pippa - who act as a bit of a back drop to Liv and Eden. We get to see their perspectives from an outsiders view.

The writing doesn't give much away in the beginning, which plays to its strengths. It will have you hooked, because you're just dying to know what the next piece in the puzzle will be. I’m all for slow-burn books, but this one kind of drags in the middle—especially between 35% and 55%—before really picking up again from the 70% mark right until the end. The pacing feels a bit all over the place. Slow to start, then suddenly racing to the finish. After such a long build-up, the finale was underwhelming.

I was also disappointed by how little Sandy and Pippa’s perspectives contributed to the overall plot. Sandy’s felt especially pointless. Both mostly exist to give us more insight into Liv and Eden, but their side stories ended up feeling like filler, slowing things down even further.

I applaud rich the character development, and the story is coherent and easy to follow. The ending ties up everything nicely with no plot holes, and everything feels believable. I also didn’t notice that this book was written by two different authors, as the writing style is consistent throughout. The chapter length is just right—not too long, not too short.

I'd recommend this if you love a good slow-burn revenge story, getting to know richly developed characters as you slowly unravel the mystery. Thank you to the author who provided a free copy of this via Booksprout!

[Eel Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book pulled me in and didn’t let go. With five different POVs by the end, it took a little time to settle into the shifting perspectives, but once I did, I was hooked. From the beginning, it was clear that Eden’s sister was dead...it was just a matter of which character she was truly after.

Liv was insufferable. Being inside her head was frustrating because she seemed incapable of caring about anyone. She resented her husband, manipulated her best friend, and treated Nadia horribly from the start. Mitch wasn’t much better. Pippa’s situation was tragic, but at the same time, she knew what was coming and still walked into it. As for Sandy… I wanted to feel bad for her, and at times, I did, but something about her never sat right with me.

And then there was Eden. The sheer level of patience, planning, and effort she put into getting justice for her sister was incredible. That ending completely caught me off guard. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but it definitely wasn’t that.

This was a fantastic psychological thriller, and if the premise sounds interesting to you, I highly recommend picking it up when it releases on April 7th. Huge thanks to the author and Book Sirens for the ARC—this is my honest and voluntary review, and I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author in the future.

[TheLisaD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winter K. Willis delivers a compelling mystery in The Assistant, a novel brimming with secrets, high-stakes intrigue, and characters who wear masks far more sophisticated than their designer wardrobes. Centered around a deceptively unassuming assistant on a covert mission, the story slowly unravels a web of deception among a group of women whose glamorous lives hide darker truths.

What sets this novel apart is its layered storytelling. Each woman is carefully drawn, with personal secrets and motivations that deepen the suspense and keep the reader guessing. As the narrative unfolds, the assistant—clever, calculated, and undeniably intriguing—proves to be much more than she appears. The twists are well-paced and satisfying, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, Willis adds another wrinkle that makes you reconsider everything.

Willis has a gift for building tension while maintaining a sharp focus on character development. The luxurious settings and seemingly perfect lives of the characters contrast sharply with the undercurrent of betrayal and manipulation that drives the plot forward. It’s a gripping read that blends glamor with grit, making for a truly engrossing mystery.

The Assistant is for readers who love a slow burn filled with secrets, shifting loyalties, and a final twist that delivers. Fans of domestic thrillers and female-led mysteries will find themselves hooked from page one.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my 3rd novel by Winter K Willis this writing duo is definitely an auto-read for me! I was blessed to be given an ARC of "The Assistant" and I was first a little nervous due to the length of it but I absolutely flew through reading it! The writing style is so wonderful--each chapter is written from the POV of a different character but it's easy to track. The chapters are short and they flow well from one to another. I truly kept wanting to read "just one more!"

"The Assistant" takes place in a suburb about an hour outside of Seattle where everyone is keeping up with the Jones'. It's a place where status matters but many secrets are kept, some that are very dark and sinister. It's a psychological thriller that kept me guessing.

The twists in this one were very unexpected and what I really love most about these authors is how they write about heavy topics in a way that it's graphic. I feel like I get the imagery without the R-rated content. I will look forward to anything by this author pair! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Celestial Bear Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of "The Assistant" by Winter K. Willis!

Eden's quest for vengeance for her sister Autumn's death drives the narrative as she returns to the turbulent town of Aldercreek, where the story unfolds. I appreciated the brief, punchy chapters, but honestly, with 115 of them, the pacing felt a bit sluggish at times. Each chapter shifts perspectives—six in total, if my counting is correct! This includes Autumn’s past, which adds layers to the narrative, but I found the method of introducing each chapter with the character’s name and a brief action to be somewhat repetitive.

The plot itself is engaging, especially as Eden unravels the mystery surrounding her sister's death. However, once she began piecing the clues together, I could predict much of what would happen next. The supporting characters seemed to lack the depth and development I was hoping for. Despite the multiple viewpoints, Eden undeniably steals the spotlight, leaving the other characters feeling somewhat overshadowed.

Overall, while I enjoyed the core storyline and Eden's journey, I wished for a bit more depth and surprise as the plot progressed.

[Patricia Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re into psychological thrillers that unravel slowly but leave you thinking long after the last page, The Assistant by Winter K. Willis might be just your kind of book. Set in the quietly eerie town of Aldercreek, the story starts with the chilling discovery of a woman’s body near a lake—but it quickly becomes clear this isn’t just a whodunit.

What really pulled me in was the arrival of Eden, a newcomer whose presence disrupts the town’s delicate balance. She’s not just passing through—she’s digging. And with every chapter, the town’s secrets get darker, the people more tangled, and my suspicion shifted constantly.

I appreciated how the authors (a writing duo with backgrounds in law and screenwriting) use that tension to layer the characters—especially the way power, trust, and deception play out in close-knit relationships. The pacing is tight, and the twists are sharp enough to make you pause and reread a few lines.

If you enjoy stories where the setting feels like a character itself, and where everyone has something to hide, The Assistant is a satisfying, atmospheric read that delivers on its suspense.

[Shelly Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book. It definitely is a little slower when it comes to building up the story, but the characters are so interesting to read about that it was hard to put down. Maybe because it was slower it read fast because you just want to know what is going on!
This story is about a sister, a death, and revenge. I don't want to say too much more about the actual story as I could easily slip into a spoiler without meaning to. This does revolve around those that have it all. Those that seem to have the perfect life and those left in the shadow of those people, to some degree.
I love the writing style of this author. Every character was well developed, and you could easily tell which character was giving their point of view, even if you weren't told at the beginning of each chapter, The book uses multiple viewpoints and in the end you have a wrapped up complete story.
I would say that the action of this, the end, wasn't my absolute favorite. It went so quickly! However, it was good and has been lingering in my mind ever since I read it.
Really enjoyed this story.

[VDKeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winter K. Willis weaves a mesmerizing psychological thriller in The Assistant, where a small town’s carefully curated perfection shatters after a woman’s body is found by the lake. Enter Eden—an outsider with a quiet intensity and a hidden agenda. As she digs into Aldercreek’s past, secrets unravel, paranoia spreads, and the town’s polished surface cracks wide open.

The character development is stellar, especially Eden, whose motives remain tantalizingly unclear until the very end. The pacing is a perfect slow-burn—tension builds steadily, each revelation more shocking than the last. Just when you think you’ve figured things out, Willis flips the script, leaving you breathless.

Dark, immersive, and brimming with suspense, The Assistant is a must-read for thriller lovers who crave a story filled with deception, mind games, and jaw-dropping twists.

Thanks to Celestial Bear Publishing for providing this advance copy via NetGalley for an honest, voluntary review.

#TheAssistant #NetGalley

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Honest 4-Star Review of *The Assistant* by Winter K. Willis** Read as an ARC.

Winter K. Willis has crafted an intriguing and thought-provoking novel with *The Assistant*. The story weaves suspense, emotional tension, and a touch of romance in a way that keeps you invested.

The characters feel authentic, with enough depth to make their decisions understandable, even when they’re flawed. The pacing in the first three-quarters of the book is excellent—fast enough to keep you turning the pages, but with enough moments of reflection to let the themes sink in.

However, the ending seemed a bit dragged out. While the resolution was satisfying overall, it felt like it could have been trimmed to maintain the momentum of the earlier chapters.

Despite this minor flaw, *The Assistant* is a gripping read with a timely premise that will make you think long after you’ve finished it.

4/5 stars!

[Ashley Sawyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Assistant by Winter K. Willis is an intriguing thriller packed full of mystery, murder, and suspense.

The small town of Aldercreek is shattered when a woman's body is found by the lake. When Eden arrives, the tight-knit community can't quite hold on to their picture perfect image any longer. As dark secrets, manipulations and long-held grudges come to light, Eden uncovers some connections to the deceased that no one wants uncovered. But who exactly is Eden and why is she here? Nothing and no one is as they seem in Aldercreek.

This was definitely a good read. Some parts were slower than others but I liked how well the authors ramped up the tension and suspense. The plot is engaging, especially surrounding Eden's character. This multi POV and perfectly layered book is a must read for fans of thrillers with deception, revenge and suspense!

Thank you to NetGalley, Winter K Willis, and Celestial Bear Publishing for this ARC! Publication date is April 7th 2025.

[Janel Crowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the deceptive town of Aldercreek, the discovery of a local woman's body disrupts the community. Just as tensions ease, Eden, a mysterious outsider, arrives with a hidden agenda. Her investigation into the town’s past reveals long-buried secrets and dark truths.

Eden's presence stirs unease, exposing manipulation among the residents. As she uncovers unsettling connections to the deceased, suspicion shifts among familiar faces, while her motives remain unclear, adding complexity.

This gripping thriller keeps readers on edge, highlighting the deceptive nature of appearances. Eden's pursuit of truth raises the stakes, forcing townspeople to confront hidden realities. With vivid writing and multiple perspectives, the story is engaging and easy to follow, featuring unexpected twists and a concluding update on each character.

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this thriller. This is a newer author for me in which I enjoyed their creative writing skills to bring their twists and turns to life. This author made them so I was sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what would happen next. This is a well written story about what happens when a woman is found dead, a newcomer comes to town and you have a town that is full of dark secrets. I enjoyed the characters in this story especially Eden who is my favorite. They are connectable, relatable and kept the story engaging which made it easy to read. This is an entertaining story that is fast paced and hard to put down. I found this book to have great growth throughout which just added to my enjoyment. This is a great thriller in which I highly recommend reading it.

[Tiffany Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Assistant by Winter K. Willis is an engaging and suspenseful read that keeps you guessing until the very end. The story follows a mysterious assistant whose actions and motivations are anything but ordinary, pulling the reader into a web of secrets, unexpected twists, and complex relationships.

Willis does a fantastic job developing the characters, making them feel real and relatable while keeping just enough mystery to keep you intrigued. The pacing is spot on, with every chapter leaving you eager to find out what happens next.

This book is perfect for anyone who loves a good thriller with a strong emotional core. It’s an entertaining, thought-provoking story that’s hard to put down. If you’re a fan of suspense and surprises, The Assistant is a must-read!

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from Hidden Gems. This is my first book written by this dynamic duo and am so glad that I received this opportunity. This book is very easy to read and follow. Fast paced and thick with anticipation driven, creative writing!

As I was reading this, it felt like a modern take on the "Desperate Housewives" show. With similar petty women, affairs, trials and tribulations in life, as well as plot twisting secrets and revenge schemes. Eden, Liv, Pippa and Sandy create the perfect women's circle of drama and chaos!

My only wish would be that we got to see some of the women's back stories/histories earlier, to get the clearer picture of each one of them, instead of waiting until the end, when each story line is about to wrap up!

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advanced readers copy.

I was excited after reading the synopsis to read this novel and I'm grateful to have received a free copy. However, after reading the first 15 chapters I unfortunately had to DNF.

What bothered me was the writing style where the story felt like it was being told to me not being shown. Some chapters felt like I was reading a step by step manual explaining what the character was doing. It made the characters feel one dimensional. The first chapter is supposed to grab a readers attention, and I did not feel like it did that at all. I am sure if I continued reading the rest of the novel that the plot would be enticing but I cannot overlook the writing style to keep me interested.

[Tina Lincoln · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story!
This story starts with a young girl going for a job that seemed beneath her knowledge base and was only a timid way of opening this expansive story! I loved how the words led me along, wondering what might come next! This is how many of our stories start, very lowly on the totem pole of prestige, but that does not write our entire life story. Not every 'trailer park' person is trash, nor does it mean they will stay there!
Thank you, Winter K. Willis, for an amazing story that kept me up late reading.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[Jo Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great twisted book. Told from multiple viewpoints, The Assistant is a massively layered novel which provides the inner workings for each of its major characters. The reader develops sympathy for Eden, someone who lost her sister seven years ago to murder. The other characters such as Eden's boss Liv and her husband Mitch do not evoke much sympathy, but all players collide in a surprising conclusion. I loved the plot twists and subplot enrichment, and I highly recommend this book for solid mystery lovers.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The path to revenge was dark and twisted at times. It was so appalling to know that someone knew of the abuse in their home and turned a blind eye, because it benefited

them. Dark selfish pleasure were revealed. The push for wealth ( greed) and to be number 1 regardless of how it came about

left a bad taste in my mouths. The lengths some went to, to climb that ladder made me feel ill. The conclusion was satisfying. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest opinion.

[Anesha s · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I want to say that I love nothing more than when a book with multiple POV is easy to follow. This book does have a few , but it was crafted together well if you worry about not being able to follow the story that won’t be a problem. Second, Yay to letting us readers know what happened to everyone in the end . There were a couple twist , and my interest was definitely on alert to what would come next.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Laura Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE ASSISTANT BY WINTER K. WILLIS
Release date set for the 7th of April 2025.
First off i want to say the cover for this book is so beautiful I think its stunning. I love it.
I was fully invested from the start of this book. I found it mysterious and wanted to find out what was going on.
Theres a Fair few different POVs but I easily followed along with no problems.
I Really enjoyed the story.
This is my 2nd book by this author/s and I'm reading another one of theirs straight after.

[Katherine Hilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a fast-paced book that I found difficult to put down. There's also a little twist to the plot that may or may not have been introduced too soon. It wasn't as suspenseful as I was expecting or hoping for, but, overall, an enjoyable book. This is the first book I've read by this writing team, but it won't be the last.