Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Idaho Fall

Rate this book
On the eve of her company’s billion-dollar IPO, fashion mogul Rita Burch falls from her balcony — and into a coma. As her spirit watches detectives unravel the mystery, Rita discovers shocking truths about her life, her success, and the people she trusted most. With over 1,000 five-star ratings!

An entrepreneur with a startup valued at one billion falls from a balcony on the eve of the company going public. Was it an accident? Or was she pushed?

Rita Burch is a rising star. The founder of a huge clothing brand, she is on the brink of financial nirvana. Her company is set to go public with an astronomical valuation when her body is found broken and unconscious, a victim of an apparent accident. Comatose, and fighting for her life, determined to wake, she learns she can leave her body.

Following the detectives as they investigate her accident, probing for clues, Rita learns disturbing details about herself and others.

Shocked by her life, she faces a dilemma. Even if she could, would she want to live?

Audible Audio

Published October 21, 2024

722 people are currently reading
4276 people want to read

About the author

D.J. Maughan

14 books210 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1,044 (36%)
4 stars
1,169 (40%)
3 stars
558 (19%)
2 stars
95 (3%)
1 star
26 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 587 reviews
Profile Image for Jayne.
1,033 reviews676 followers
April 24, 2025


I fell hard for "IDAHO FALL".

The premise was ultra-intiguing:
A wealthy female entrepreneur and mother of four boys falls from an Idaho balcony on the eve of her company going public.

Was it an accident? Or was she pushed?

And if she was pushed, who pushed her???????

This twisty whodunnit sizzled and soared.

Wit, suspense, and tension ..... from beginning to end.

WHY NOT 5 STARS?
The "happily ever after" ending was contrived.

I listened to the audiobook, expertly narrated by Stephanie Richardson.

This was my first book by D.J. Maughan and I look forward to listening to future titles by this talented author.
Profile Image for Trish.
9 reviews13 followers
September 7, 2024
Such a good book! Keeps you going from beginning to end! Has all the twists and turns but also a heart warming ending.
Profile Image for Kaylee.
18 reviews
September 10, 2024
I got through this book in a few days, though I enjoyed the book and it kept my attention I found it to be a little predictable. Unbeknownst to me, I had figured out the twist from the very get go and to find out I was correct was disappointing. I also found the character development to be weak I felt like by the end the killer didn’t have a good enough motive to commit the murder but instead of just saying it was pure hatred, it was all these other flimsy motivations that pushed them to kill. The writing felt a little juvenile and didn’t appear to match the intellectual level of the characters. This book ultimately left me wanting more, I feel like the build up was really great and then it took a steep decline after the climax. Final thoughts: I would read it for the first time again, I would recommend the book to my friends, but I wouldn’t push them or beg them to read it, and I wouldn’t reread it for fun. Did not make my top 50 book list.
Profile Image for Jess Demchuk.
115 reviews2 followers
September 13, 2024
ARC review: just not for me. Guessed the “killer” early on and was disappointed when I was correct especially because I felt like the motive was weak. The shitty person having an out-of-body experience while in a coma and waking up a better person was super cliche and honestly made me mad 😂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for April.
586 reviews169 followers
December 15, 2025
One “incident” so many suspects! Rita’s fall that left her in a coma made me suspicious of everyone. Some saying it was an accident, some are wondering if she did it intentionally, some are wondering if this was attempted murder. This was an intriguing read from starting to finish, & held my attention during this investigation. To add to the layers of suspense, Rita was able to leave her body and hear what was going on around her and she remained in the coma. She learned a lot about herself some pleasant, so I’m not so pleasant but either way it was an eye opening experience for her. Really good narration in the audiobook, and I would recommend this read. My 3rd D.J. Maughan book & I have highly enjoyed them all.
Profile Image for Wendy York.
75 reviews2 followers
September 13, 2024
How would you feel watching the investigation of your own attempted murder unfold live while your physical body lies unconscious in a hospital bed?

I was honored to receive an ARC for D.J. Maughan’s upcoming release of Idaho Fall. If you’re tired of cookie cutter thriller plot lines, this one is going to leave you feeling oh so satisfied. Told primarily through the eyes of Rita as she floats between her grieving family… to her own hospital room… to watching the investigators on the hunt for who wanted her dead.
This book was so unique and had me with my nose to my kindle wanting to find out who the bad guy is. I was nervous any time someone came near her comatose body for fear they were back to finish the job!
I MUST applaud the author on the QUALITY of writing he gives in this book. Never choppy. Just the right amount of description and not too much! The writing was smooth as butter and I felt like I literally glided through this story. It was an effortless and entertaining read! I look forward to reading more from Maughan!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Idaho Fall
By D.J. Maughan

MARK YOUR CALENDARS‼️
Oct 1st - hardcover release
Oct 14th - paperback and ebook release
Will be offered on KU!!!
Profile Image for Rachel Browning.
625 reviews11 followers
September 27, 2024
This is a story about a lady who saw who tried to murder her, can’t remember, and is in a coma fighting to live. While in her coma, she discovers she can leave her body. She learns many things about herself and the people in her life. I was sucked in right away. This story kind of has some Ask For Andrea vibes and I absolutely love it!

I struggled to put this book down to sleep and finished it in 2 nights. There were so many twists and shocking revelations and a lot of suspense. Is she going to die? Are they going to pull the plug? Is she going to live? Who tried to kill her? It’s such a good book! If you like thrilling, suspenseful mysteries, this is a must read.
Profile Image for Sarah.
57 reviews11 followers
September 29, 2024
Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC for an honest review!

Throughly enjoyed this book! It hooked me from the very first chapter. With such a unique POV, was a thrill ride solving the mystery, postulating through the entire read. Something to admire, that though I was able to guess the culprit, the very final twist was not at all expected and left me amazed. Even loved the emotional aspects of characters woven into the story (had my mandatory teardrop:), endearing reading experience!
Profile Image for Nycole.
137 reviews5 followers
March 23, 2025
This is my first ARC read, as well as my first D.J. Maughan book;
I was super impressed! Fast paced read, relatable characters with character growth (we love that 🫶🏻)
I had my suspicions on who I thought it might be, half way through but it didn’t take away from the story at all..for me, it made me want to keep reading to see if I was correct!
Would definitely recommend.
Profile Image for Bobbi Meranti.
21 reviews3 followers
September 9, 2024
I had the honor of getting an ARC by the author it’s my first arc book I love to read a lot , I have never heard of this author prior to the ARC, but I definitely love thrillers so I gave it a try. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I definitely would !!!! I read the first 3 pages and literally I was hooked and before you knew it I was half way through the book reading as fast as I could to see what was going on next . It’s an absolute page turner , I loved the storyline , the supernatural perspective and it keeps you guessing all the way to the end and there were many times I thought I had it figured out but oh no it was like you were the detectives trying to solve it yourself , My favorite part of the book was ,not only was it at great thriller read, the life lesson made known was what really did it for me and the end. It’s a way to look at things in life differently !! Be sure to add this to your TBR like this October , and I definitely will be reading the rest of the books by him , because now I want to read more . I will be buying a physical copy as well because it was a great experience my first time doing a book ARC and getting introduced to amazing writers who put their souls into these books !! Thankyou for allowing me to read your book I give it a 7 star !!!!!
Profile Image for Jordyn Cella.
11 reviews3 followers
September 7, 2024
Wow! I’ve been on such a thriller kick and who doesn’t love a who dun it ?! I loved the way narration took place in this book. I picked it up and quickly got sucked in! I love reading books that take place in local areas and living in Washington , it was nice to see an Idaho setting.

I don’t want to give away any spoilers but what a twist ! I had a suspicion on who did it , but my reasoning was so far off !

13 reviews1 follower
September 7, 2024
I read this in a day, I loved it and enjoyed the extra chapter too. I felt it was predictable who it was but it was an excellent story. I love books with short chapters. I feel it keeps me hooked and that's exactly what this book did, looking forward to more books from this author! Glad I was part of the ARC team😃
Profile Image for Lisa Hendrickx.
124 reviews11 followers
September 22, 2024
Loved this book! The twists are amazing! I was skeptical before reading it but eventually it was such an amazing book! The writing style is easy to read and follow. And I just enjoyed this book soooo much! Love it!!
2 reviews
October 29, 2024
I don’t understand why people rate this book so high. It was flat, the writing was bad and boring and there was nothing surprising or twisty about any of it. Cannot recommend this at all
Profile Image for Beth Tuley .
147 reviews23 followers
September 7, 2024
I was provided an ARC by the author, in exchange for an honest review. So here it is!

I enjoyed this book quite a lot. The author kept me guessing for quite a while as to who the killer was, which isn’t always the case. The story flowed smoothly and resolved nicely, and while it had a bit of a supernatural storyline, it was believable. A quick and satisfying thriller. I’d read more by this author.
Profile Image for Trina &#x1f33b;.
269 reviews45 followers
September 7, 2024
Twisty thriller with a unique perspective. Definitely an engaging read! Would recommend, especially to anyone who is in a reading slump & looking for something attention grabbing.
Profile Image for Summer.
181 reviews5 followers
September 7, 2024
It really was a “who actually did it” type of book. Every time you thought it was one person it would switch to being maybe someone else, keeping you in suspense and questioning who it was. I liked the out of body perspective, that was a very different reading experience.
Profile Image for Kolleen Langer.
40 reviews
September 7, 2024
What an amazing mystery/thriller. I usually feel I have a strong clue on the “who did it” or what the plot twist will be, and didn’t see this one coming! Character development was great, and I loved the dynamic between the detective partners! The only critique I had is that I craved even more! I read this in two days and once I picked it up, it was hard to put down! Great read!!!
Profile Image for Amanda Lynn Lane.
115 reviews3 followers
September 27, 2024
I received an ARC for an honest review.

Let me start by saying did actually enjoy this book. It was a quick, fun, easy read and I’m a sucker for short chapters.

I thought the perspective of Rita seeing life without her while in a coma was very unique and different from anything I’ve ever read. It was also heartbreaking at times to hear how much dislike by pretty much everyone in her life surrounded Rita while she couldn’t remember her life that much in the coma. The way her memories unfolded as she was watching in real time was well done. The part where her sons were saying goodbye had me tearing up. I’m a mom to 2 boys and I just pictured myself in that scenario and it’s heartbreaking and unthinkable. Really hit me in the feels there. I also enjoyed the dynamic between the two detectives and their fun guess the band & coke game. It shows another human side of detectives while doing a tough job.

The reason I couldn’t give it 5 stars was because, for the first time, I was pretty confident in who the killer was very early on. And I think it was laid on too thickly how nice and caring Kim was to James. It was very evident to me that she would have liked to have been with him romantically. Aside from her behavior toward him, the details of the divorce and being money hungry was another give away as to why she’d want Rita dead. She’d go after James and James would be rich. Also, in the beginning when Kim mentioned her and Rita were like best friends…. There wasn’t enough proof to me from the beginning that that was even true. The workout class was mentioned several times but nothing else. James didn’t even say they were good friends either. So, with all that info it was clear to me Kim was the killer. I read a ton of psych thrillers/mysteries and I’m pretty terrible at guessing who the killer is. I usually never do. I try to take the story at face value and not try to figure it out but this was a bit too obvious for me.

All that being said, like I said, I did really enjoy it. Quick page turner, good, well rounded story of a family put in an extremely difficult situation. And I love how the whole experience changed Rita’s outlook on her life and relationships and that she gets a second chance with them. Thanks for letting me be an ARC reader!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Kate McBride.
324 reviews2 followers
September 24, 2024
I received an ARC from the Author and I am so glad I did.

This was a great book. The first for me by this Author.

It was a thriller but not one like I have read before. The Author's vivid descriptions were refreshing and great to help visualize things as they are intended.

Rita is the founder of a company about to go public and make her a rich woman, until she has an accident that leaves her in a coma. He marriage is not in the best spot and she has not been a good wife, friend, mother over the past few years while building her company.

Rita is able to see her life outside of her body that lays in the hospital so she can follow the investigation into her accident. Keep an eye on her family and see the way she has been treating people. She desperately wants to make things right with the people she loves and make sure the person is caught who put her there in the first place.

This is an easy read, no sex, quick chapters that suck you in to read long after you should be doing things.

Profile Image for Alicia (LitwitLeecee).
125 reviews13 followers
October 18, 2024
Late post!!! actually Days after! My feelings still apply!

I stumbled across this book on TikTok last night while scrolling and wasn’t sure what to read next, so I decided to dive in—and I’m so glad I did! The Pieces of Us by D.J. Maughan is a total page-turner, and this definitely won’t be my last book by this author!

Rita Burch seems to have it all: she’s a successful entrepreneur with a popular clothing brand, married to James, and together they have four sons. But behind the perfect facade, things aren’t what they seem. One day, Rita is found unconscious with mysterious injuries. Was it an accident, or was there something more dangerous at play?

While she rests in a coma, we follow along with Rita (she finds out she can “leave her body”) as she tries to piece together what really happened. And let me just say—Rita gets many shocking revelations along the way! ☕️ Sometimes you have to take a step back from your own life to really see what’s going on. LITERALLY! 😳👀

This book had me hooked from start to finish—entertaining, engaging, and full of twists! If you’re looking for your next read, add this one to your TBR. 4.5/ 5ish stars from me! ⭐️
Profile Image for Tasha.
8 reviews4 followers
September 16, 2024
Spoilers! If you anticipate reading this book, which you should, do not read my review. Read the book, you will not be disappointed!!
First time reading a J.Maughan novel and will not be the last!
Loved the story and especially loved the storyline about Rita having her out of body experiences. I did have a hunch quite early on who attacked her but the story was so good, and the characters were so likeable (Hank and Joyce) that I wasn’t mad about figuring it out.
I really enjoyed this read! I wasn’t sure what Rita’s fate would be until it was revealed, and what a great way to end her story.
Thrilled to have been an ARC reader for this one!


Profile Image for Caitlin Kirchoff.
21 reviews4 followers
September 14, 2024
Got this gem as an ARC in return for a review.
I’m not going to lie, somehow I stumbled into some very dark thrillers as of late, and I have been craving a break and a change. This book scratched that itched for me. I liked the plot, I enjoyed the supernatural experience, and I truly enjoyed this read. It was a quick, pleasant read. It still gave me the premise of mystery I long for in my books, and I definitely enjoyed the journey as the investigation took place. The author did a good job piecing together the storylines via the investigation. Of course, some sketchy characters existed, but I enjoyed the detectives and the nurses. The empathy they displayed through their work gave it a nice balance. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely would recommend this to others. I also plan to read more by this author in the future!
Profile Image for Kelsey Davis .
13 reviews2 followers
September 20, 2024
This book was SO easy to get sucked into. I could not put it down. I love the different POVs. And it is a serious whodunit. The second you think you know, you’re thrown off by so many other characters that are all equally as guilty. Easy to follow along and enough to keep you on your toes the entire way through. 5 stars!
Profile Image for Felice Gwinn.
66 reviews1 follower
September 11, 2024
The author sent me a copy of this book before it’s release date in return for an honest review which was a cool opportunity.

I was SO VERY CLOSE to giving this 5 stars till the very end. Like until literally the last chapter of the book. I read this in one day which was very unexpected but it was such an easy read. Going back and forth trying to figure out who did it was interesting and fun. At first I was worried it would be the typical and cliche who done it trope but it ended up being different than what I’ve read before. All the drama outside of the investigation seemed purposeful and helped support the story as a whole. The only critique I have is the entire book had this thriller, suspenseful, mystery vibe to it and at the very end it randomly swapped to more of a romantic, sentimental, self-aware/self therapy vibe. I’m all for character development but it just seemed so random and out of place for this particular book. As if the author got mixed up with what genre he was currently writing at the very end. I really don’t think the last chapter was even necessary and could’ve just ended with the detectives talking with the offender. Had that been the case I would’ve definitely given this a 5 star.

Overall , great book and definitely would recommend! Never heard of this author prior to reading this ARC but I am interested in some of his other books now! Everyone should read this once it is released in October!
Profile Image for Michelle Van Hemelryck.
17 reviews
September 5, 2024
Captivating! This is the first book I’ve read by Mr. Maughan but it certainly will not be the last. I will say that it is not quite what I expected but I found it fast-paced and could not put it down! Perfect mystery book for a quiet night in!
7 reviews1 follower
September 16, 2024
I was provided an ARC with promise of an honest review, so here goes.

This book is a mixed bag for me. I LOVED the story line, it in itself kept me going. This is one of those books that you think about when you aren’t reading it. HOWEVER, I thought the writing style was a little juvenile. I don’t know how to express that any other way. The twist threw me, definitely not what I was expecting. Overall, I’m giving it 4 stars. I am looking forward to reading this author’s future books, but probably won’t read any of his previous work.
Profile Image for Lindsay Abila.
241 reviews
November 5, 2025
Meh, nothing to write home about. Decent thriller that keeps you wondering until the end… but then the end is meh, cool.

The part I like most was following Rita’s ghost. I thought that was creative and a cool way to get different points of view.
5 reviews1 follower
September 17, 2024
NoI was provided an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a fun read! I live in the Idaho Falls area so I love that I can recognize all of the landmarks and places mentioned. It makes the story feel more real for me.

As for the plot, I love a good thriller, and the fact that it feels like we're investigating right along side the detectives and Rita herself is such an interesting perspective. Definitely brings something new to the genre!

The ending was so heartfelt and brought a tear to my eye. I feel so honored to have been able to read this book before its release. And I'll definitely be following what this author does next!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 587 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.