The Glades

by John Netti, Doug Greene (Narrator)

When Detective Maddy Reynolds escapes street violence by leaving her job to live in the Adirondacks, she builds a house on Berry Lake, across from The Glades. Avery Jordan, its founder, operates a sex trafficking operation out of the sprawling retreat. He and his minions are on a collision course with the renowned detective when they try to discover her true purpose for moving to the remote location.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

Audible Audio

First published July 20, 2022

Reviews

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crime thriller

Detective Maddy Reynolds thinks she is retiring when she moves to her new home at Berry Lake in the Adirondacks. She quickly learns, however, that she can't escape her urge to figure out what is going on at the huge mansion and resort across the lake. Secluded and exclusive on the mountain top, The Glades provokes fear and suspicion in the local town. Something creepy is going on within those secured walls and the airstrip is busy all the time. Maddy is without credentials or backup, but she knows she must investigate when she discovers that young women who work there are found dead under some curious circumstances.

The theme of this involves sex trafficking and political corruption. This is the second in a series featuring Maddy Reynolds; I did not read the first one but there is enough backstory in the narrative to give the reader a good idea of what happened. The bad guys are nasty and sleazy and written in the typical way. The character of Maddy is also similar to all single women detectives in this genre. It is, however, the plight of a young teen boy whose actions give the story its most heart tugging moments. The premise was intriguing but the details and events described did not quite make this one as good as it could have been. An instant romance, a weird cosmic connection to a wolf, super fight skills, strong morality, convenient rescue -- a boilerplate but entertaining enough for the short time it took to read in one sitting. I am not sure if I would look for another installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for this e-book ARC to read and review.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5) Loved the premise and the cover. The cover seemed to evoke peacefulness and evil at the same time. Which is a great lead in to the story, though there is limited peacefulness. There is something happening all the time, respite is few. If you want fast paced book laced with corruption, evilness and a tenacious ex detective - this is the book for you. The blurb gives you the fair warning, sex trafficking. With sex trafficking you also have drugs, abuse, suicides and so much more. The story goes back and forth with Avery (Sex trafficking operation) and Maddy Reynolds (Detective). This is a detraction for me. I rarely enjoy that style of writing even if its to show both points of view. As pointed out by others this is book 2. I had no clue :) There were a few instances of hmm but I never felt like I missed out on information. I like how Netti showed there is bad everywhere and even though good doesn't always prevail, keep on. Thank you for the arc. I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. #theglades #johnnetti #blackrosewriting #booksirens

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story line is very dark, frightening to think this happens in our world…

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was crazy-good even though it's dark and creepy! When detective Maddy is shot and remains in a coma for five days, she's determined to retire as daughter, Amber is going away to college and Maddy needs a simpler life. She finds what she assumes to be a delightfully isolated house in the Adirondacks and settles in only to discover it is adjacent to the newest 5-star resort, The Glades which is run by a charming (albeit shady) man named Avery. Alternating between Maddy and Avery, the novel gives us a glimpse into the unorthodox methods employed at the hotel, including sex-trafficking and coercive abuse to those foolish enough to attempt escape. It's a wild ride that involves, children and police so go into it forewarned; but it's got a breakneck pace so catch your breath while you can!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Denice Langley · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE GLADES by John Netti paints some vivid pictures of a peaceful mountain area where a young woman could escape the horrors of her past and try to live quietly. But those pictures have been staged for visitors. The town and it's famous residents are really a cover for a criminal enterprise of a particularly evil sort. Maddy Reynolds has left her hectic police work and moved to what she hopes will be a normal life. Not so. The multi million dollar compound, named The Glades, looks beautiful from Maddy's front porch across the lake. But as we get closer, the rot shows as young men and women are abused and discarded.
The story contains some harsh scenes and will definitely make you want to wash your hands or hurt somebody or both. The writing will draw an emotional response at several different points of the story. But, since its a work of fiction, the bad guys will get punished and help will arrive before too many more victims disappear. This was truly a good reaad that will make you think and make you look at your neighborhood a little different from now on.

[Gloria Doyel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't stop reading

Grabbed me fast and read through in one sitting! I enjoy this author and will look for more of his books.

[Donna Germano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What a great book. Hard to put down!

[Bette Reith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Glades by John Netti is the second book following Detective Maddy Reynolds. I did not know that this was the second book until almost the end, when I decided to look up the author. This book it totally a stand along, and I will be buying Cupid, the first book, to get the full story. Thank you to Booksiren for the copy of the book to review.
Maddy is a very likable character who decides to leave the busy city life and mover to the Adirondacks. She is looking for peace and serenity, but soon finds that evil is everywhere and even small towns have their secrets. Strange deaths start occurring and the townspeople act too afraid to talk. The mysteries seem to be based at a sprawling estate called The Glades. Avery Jorden runs The Glades and is trying to balance an above-board resort for respectability and a sex trafficking ring for profit. His is on a timeline before everything in his life is destroyed. Maddy becomes intertwined into his story and the result is an action-packed page turner.
Great characters, especially a minor one, Hector. He grabbed my heart as a teen struggling with abuse and fear. He really helped move the story along with me rooting all of the way.
This is an excellent book of thrilling intrigue and I can’t wait to read others by this author.

[Judy Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. I loved the characters. As someone who grew up in the Adirondacks, I could picture the story in my mind. I hope this story continues in the next book.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for this early copy of The Glades in exchange for me honest review.

After Maddy decides to retire as a detective and build a home on a mountain to slow down her pace. There’s a place in the mountains called The Glades and something is just suspicious about it. Maddy decides to do what she does best, investigate.

This book was very easy to follow and fast paced. Maddy was a likeable main character. This book deal with difficult but important topics in a delicate way. This book is also dark and talks about sex.trafficking. Please take caution when reading. I highly recommend checking out this book!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

🏞Captivating storytelling🤗
A downright marvelous adventure despite its tragic subject matter👍

I could not put down this thriller set in the Adirondacks where a strong and resourceful retired female cop finds disturbing undercurrents of abuse, tragedy and outright evil. And she thought she was escaping it all by moving to a mountain top adjacent to a quaint small town! There are some brilliant characters, especially poor, brave Hector, a fifteen year-old who finds life nothing but hard and tragic. His family story was actually the emotional lynchpin for me.

Female lead protagonist Maddie's previous deadly experiences in dealing with a serial killer who attacked her own family that apparently were the subject of Netti's thriller Cupid are mentioned, but the connection to an earlier story did not confuse me, leave me bewildered or reduce my enjoyment of The Glades one iota.

Good action scenes, plenty of foreboding lead-up to a dramatic, no-holds-barred, edge-of-my-seat climax. The looming deadline built into the story's timeline helped build the tension. This one took me a bit by surprise. Yes, there is some description of abuse to young women drawn into the web of The Glades seamy secret human trafficking operations, but the story is more focused on the way power corrupts, coerces and terrifies the innocent into either collaboration or silence. It may seem a stretch to imagine such places exist in the U.S., but I'm not so sure.

Thanks to John Netti for a fascinating tale, and to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read from October 31st, 2022 to November 14th, 2022. Written on November 15th, 2022.

When I decided to read this book my brain was expecting a certain amount of things to happen and I can happily say they were wrong and the book was so much more than I ever could predict.

The whole story was well structured with multiple POVs, time jumps and, in overall, easy to comprehend and captivating writing. From the boss of a sex trafficking business to a fifteen year old boy, each character has their minds so clearly separate from the others' and, as a reader, we can easily follow the story from each POV, making the book so much more interesting.

The unexpected twists and turns are quite surprising and I loved the way each was written. The ending got me on the edge of my seat and I felt a rush to continue reading to see what would happen, and, personally, I love when a book does that do me. Everything written in that ending felt so crucial and the descriptions of scenery and moods are quite particularly impressive. From describing smells to the view of forests, it all fit perfectly.

Truly, a great mystery book filled with interesting storylines from each character and amazing story course. Very well done.

(Free ARC from Book Sirens that I chose to review after reading)

[Lesley Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, to put it simply. I loved that the main character, Maddy, has a past that is explained just enough to get the idea of her situation; it makes me curious enough to seek out any previous and future stories involving her story.

Maddy decides to put her career in the past and make a major life change, but as expected, she doesn’t leave her instincts or experience too far out of reach. She finds out that moving from a crazy city to a gorgeous secluded location does not mean the world doesn’t still have its problems.

I fell in love with Hector and Doc, as well as Maddy and her daughter, and felt truly affected by what transpires. I love that Maddy does her best to help those around her, no matter how things appear in the beginning.

Without giving anything away, I was glad to see The Glades stopped from its sinister deeds.

I will definitely be following the author for more on Maddy and other characters. I enjoyed the thrills as well as the emotions while being captivated with the story line.

*I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

All Maddy Reynolds wants is peace and quiet and away from her former job as a Detective. She uncharacteristically falls in love with the Adirondacks, She builds a house on Berry Lake, across from The Glades. WE know Avery Jordan, its founder, operates a sex-trafficking operation out of the sprawling retreat. Maddy does not. Avery is charming on the outside but Maddy finds him creepy.

Maddy soon finds out living in such an isolated area may not have been the best idea. The locals are suspicious and do not like strangers. Convicts break out of prison and are on their way to kill her. There are weird going-ons that no one wants to talk about. She cannot help but play detective once again, She is not going to like what she finds.

Late review from Netgalley. Could not find Tilt in July here on Goodreads

[PAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our protagonist Maddy has spent her entire career catching the bad guys. She has had it, she is retiring from the force and moving as far away she can. She goes to the mountains, the Adirondacks. She builds a house on Berry Lake, across from a retreat called The Glades. Avery Jordan, its founder, operates a sex-trafficking operation out of the sprawling retreat. Little does Maddy know that she has moved across from a sex-trafficking ring. The owner is suspicious of the retired detective who "just happened" to move across the lake from their establishment! And the sparks begin to fly! I really enjoyed this novel. The author creates suspicion, intrigue and a strong woman lead! I recommend this novel. I received this novel from BookSirens. This is my true and honest review.

[Glenda Gerber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about Maddy, an ex-cop trying to escape the violence of the big city by moving to the Adirondacks. Unfortunately trouble seems to have a way of finding her even in the quiet little town in the mountains. I really like the way this story was told through three different points of view. Maddy, the heroine of the story, Avery, the man trying to hide pure evil behind a glamorous front and Hector, a fifteen year old trying to fulfill a promise to his mother. There are a couple of little twists at the end that I wasn't expecting and surprised me. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it. Thank you to Goodreads and John Netti for this free copy.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Glades is a straight-forward crime mystery that makes up in competency what it lacks in originality. It appears some of these characters have appeared in one of Mr. Netti's previous books. But I never felt confused or lacking in information to enjoy the book. The main story involves a former detective who moves near "The Glades" and stumbles upon on some bad people who make bad choices. There are some Jeffrey Epstein overtones along with some other angles that a seasoned reader can see coming. But I was engaged until the end and enjoyed my journey.

[Kellie Whittam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover of this book made me want to read it - it just looked intriguing.
The storyline was good and I really liked Maddy as the main character. I didn't realise this was the second of a series but feel that it's fine to read this as a standalone book.
I also really enjoyed Doc's character, as well as Hector. I really wanted to give Hector a hug!
There were lots of nasty characters, who I also enjoyed reading about.
Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy the author's writing style. The jumps between characters from chapter to chapter just wasn't very smooth.
I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jilly Barker · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was ok. I read it quite quickly but I never felt really intrigued by it. I found the writing style a bit basic and sometimes a bit rushed. The story was also a bit far fetched and it was a bit unbelievable that there was no suspicion raised about the goings on or that literally everyone in law enforcement was being paid off. The references to The Guy were also a bit odd and failed to depict a scary, dark, boss man character. The ending was overly dramatic and left me feeling a bit unsatisfied in that the villain got an easy out.

[Brenda Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

a wild ride

Maddy Reynolds retires from being a detective and moves from the city to the solitude of nature, or so she thinks. Her daughter, Amber wins a scholarship to Cornell so she is alone. No sooner than she moves in, she’s told that the Donnelley brothers have escaped from prison and are determined to kill her to avenge the death of their sister. Not only that but there is something just not right about the man who owns The Glades. A thrills ride from start to finish! Highly recommend.9

[Corliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just WOW

The Glades is masterfully crafted and reveals the true evil that is some humans. Woven into a beautiful setting where Maddy Reynolds has chosen to spend her retirement from being a detective, she soon finds herself drawn into Avery Jordan's world of depravity. This one kept me turning pages way into the night. A book worth reading, I highly recommend it.

[Andrew Atkinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was drawn in by the book cover and description. Promising. Yet, I was slightly let down by the story: it took a while to get going (not in itself a problem, necessarily); the ending is rather predictable; the characters are rather cliched and it took me quite a while to finish the book - though that could be down to my problems and not the author’s. I was left a little disappointed because the author has obvious merits and capabilities. Think I will have to read more from this author before giving a definitive judgement. I was introduced to this book by NetGalley, so my thanks to them and to the author for keeping me entertained.

[Carolyn Valdez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable story. I did not realize that there was one more book before this one and although all of the books are standalone. I believe you should read them in order. If you enjoy mystery, suspense, and a lot of twist and turns, you will enjoy this book.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting

I loved the book. The twist and turns in the book Will keep you riveted. Maddy Is more than a line of duty and decides to retire . However she jumps from the frying pan into the fire. If you love mystery and action you need To read this book

[Chantelle Vroom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't crazy about the authors writing style... sometimes felt choppy and quite unbelievable.

[Amy Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nail biter

I'm so glad it turned out good but sad for the girls who had no hope and died. I can't get enough!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing saga in the life of Maddy Reynolds! I loved every moment of it and was very happy that I took the time to read the prior book that are connected. Although, you can read this book independently, the story and excitement is so much richer if you read the books in order. I cannot wait to see where the latest book in this series takes me! I received a copy for free through my subscription to Kindle Unlimited and I purchased the audiobook. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t bother.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I couldn’t finish. It felt like I was reading a rough draft of three different books thrown together. So many errors, so many mistakes, and so many inconsistencies.