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The Puppet Hunter
Dunmeyer, Bethel County: Population: 2,683
Watched.
Chosen with purpose.
Given a part they hadn’t auditioned for.
When a teenaged girl vanishes on a warm, spring night, leaving no witnesses and no evidence behind, the town becomes stricken with grief.
The residents of the close-knit community want answers and the small-town sheriff is the man they should turn to. But Rex Walker is ill-equipped to deal with much more than a drunken brawl at the local bar.
As more teenagers disappear, the town’s grief turns to panic, then paranoia. Every tourist becomes suspect. Neighbors and friends begin to look at each other with a watchful eye. Faith in the sheriff’s abilities starts to crumble.
The townspeople, needing someone to blame, set their sights on Rex. When his daughter is the next to go missing, it leaves every resident in Dunmeyer stunned.
…except one.
One resident watches in satisfaction as the town falls apart. Every citizen plays their role to perfection and the teenagers’ captor takes pride in creating their greatest masterpiece yet.
Watched.
Chosen with purpose.
Given a part they hadn’t auditioned for.
When a teenaged girl vanishes on a warm, spring night, leaving no witnesses and no evidence behind, the town becomes stricken with grief.
The residents of the close-knit community want answers and the small-town sheriff is the man they should turn to. But Rex Walker is ill-equipped to deal with much more than a drunken brawl at the local bar.
As more teenagers disappear, the town’s grief turns to panic, then paranoia. Every tourist becomes suspect. Neighbors and friends begin to look at each other with a watchful eye. Faith in the sheriff’s abilities starts to crumble.
The townspeople, needing someone to blame, set their sights on Rex. When his daughter is the next to go missing, it leaves every resident in Dunmeyer stunned.
…except one.
One resident watches in satisfaction as the town falls apart. Every citizen plays their role to perfection and the teenagers’ captor takes pride in creating their greatest masterpiece yet.
240 pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2025
12 people want to read
About the author
Trish Arrowsmith
8 books76 followersTrish recently moved across the country where she found her forever home, enjoying the desert sunshine and wildlife all year long. She was born and raised in a small town in northern Connecticut. Growing up, she was always fascinated by unsolved mysteries and true crimes as well as the psychological elements behind them. As an avid reader, her go to books are thrillers, suspense, and true crime. Nursery’s Rhyme is Trish’s debut novel.
Be sure to follow Trish on BookBub for the latest sales: https://tinyurl.com/46z4ju3r
Be sure to follow Trish on BookBub for the latest sales: https://tinyurl.com/46z4ju3r
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 11, 2025
Y’all… this book grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. Small-town Dunmeyer, population 2,683, is basically living my worst nightmare — teens vanishing, paranoia spreading, and a sheriff in way over his head.
Rex Walker is flawed, desperate, and heartbreakingly real. And that puppet master? Chills. Absolute spine-tingling brilliance. 😱
Arrowsmith’s writing is sharp, cinematic, and soaked in dread — you can feel the humid air, smell the fear, and hear every creak of that tiny town falling apart.
Fast-paced, twisted, and deliciously dark — this one deserves a standing ovation. 👏
Rex Walker is flawed, desperate, and heartbreakingly real. And that puppet master? Chills. Absolute spine-tingling brilliance. 😱
Arrowsmith’s writing is sharp, cinematic, and soaked in dread — you can feel the humid air, smell the fear, and hear every creak of that tiny town falling apart.
Fast-paced, twisted, and deliciously dark — this one deserves a standing ovation. 👏
September 23, 2025
Book Review
Author Trish Arrowsmith
Title: The Puppet Hunter
Book Rating: 3 Stars
Genre: Thriller
The Puppet Hunter by Trish Arrowsmith had an amazing premise that kept me reading until the end. It was like a very creepy episode of Criminal Minds with all the suspense included. If you are into small town thrillers then The Puppet Hunter just might be for you.
Over the course of about 6 months, a few teenage girls start to go missing. They were usually walking home alone and just vanished. It is up to the sheriff, Rex Walker, to figure out who is taking these girls and where they are at. But when the investigation takes longer than anyone thought, the town soon turns their backs on the sheriff.
As I said, I absolutely loved the premise of this story. I’m always in for a thriller that keeps you guessing with every page, and the dark atmosphere and small location makes it all the better. Unfortunately, I feel like this book could have used a little more work. Some of the characters felt two-dimensional and their dialogue just didn’t feel natural. There were also constant POV shifts in the middle of paragraphs that confused me on who’s head we were in at the time. Lastly, even though this book was a decent length, I still feel like some plot points could have been fleshed out a little more, while some others could have been removed all together.
Some of the best parts of this book was when we were inside the head of the antagonist. His points of view were really creepy, well written, and just so interesting that I would read an entire book just from his point of view. The plot was also really interesting. This could have been an episode of Criminal Minds it was so good!
Overall, this book was worth the read despite its flaws. Its creepy atmosphere really kept me engaged and wanting to know what happened next, as well as the POVs of the antagonist were so good! If you are looking for a horror-lite/thriller book this spooky season, you should definitely check out The Puppet Hunter by Trish Arrowsmith.
Author Trish Arrowsmith
Title: The Puppet Hunter
Book Rating: 3 Stars
Genre: Thriller
The Puppet Hunter by Trish Arrowsmith had an amazing premise that kept me reading until the end. It was like a very creepy episode of Criminal Minds with all the suspense included. If you are into small town thrillers then The Puppet Hunter just might be for you.
Over the course of about 6 months, a few teenage girls start to go missing. They were usually walking home alone and just vanished. It is up to the sheriff, Rex Walker, to figure out who is taking these girls and where they are at. But when the investigation takes longer than anyone thought, the town soon turns their backs on the sheriff.
As I said, I absolutely loved the premise of this story. I’m always in for a thriller that keeps you guessing with every page, and the dark atmosphere and small location makes it all the better. Unfortunately, I feel like this book could have used a little more work. Some of the characters felt two-dimensional and their dialogue just didn’t feel natural. There were also constant POV shifts in the middle of paragraphs that confused me on who’s head we were in at the time. Lastly, even though this book was a decent length, I still feel like some plot points could have been fleshed out a little more, while some others could have been removed all together.
Some of the best parts of this book was when we were inside the head of the antagonist. His points of view were really creepy, well written, and just so interesting that I would read an entire book just from his point of view. The plot was also really interesting. This could have been an episode of Criminal Minds it was so good!
Overall, this book was worth the read despite its flaws. Its creepy atmosphere really kept me engaged and wanting to know what happened next, as well as the POVs of the antagonist were so good! If you are looking for a horror-lite/thriller book this spooky season, you should definitely check out The Puppet Hunter by Trish Arrowsmith.
September 16, 2025
✨Book Review✨
Book: The Puppet Hunter
Author: Trish Arrowsmith
Genre: Mystery Suspense
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✨Blurb✨
When a teenaged girl vanishes, leaving no witnesses and no evidence behind, the small town of Dunmeyer is stricken with grief. As more teenagers disappear, the town’s grief turns to panic, then paranoia. Every tourist becomes suspect. Neighbors and friends begin to look at each other with a watchful eye. One resident watches with satisfaction as the town falls apart. Every citizen plays their role to perfection and the teenagers’ captor takes pride in creating their greatest masterpiece yet.
✨Review✨
Coming in under 250 pages, The Puppet Hunter is a one sitting, can't put down mystery that will keep you enthralled until the very last page. The multiple POV kept the suspense high with a layer of creepiness given with it. It allowed the reader to suspect and try to work out the puzzle along with the Sheriff MC. The twist at the end was twisty! I never guessed how it would be played out.
Read this if you enjoy a good crime drama with insight into the perpetrator's background and POV.
Book: The Puppet Hunter
Author: Trish Arrowsmith
Genre: Mystery Suspense
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✨Blurb✨
When a teenaged girl vanishes, leaving no witnesses and no evidence behind, the small town of Dunmeyer is stricken with grief. As more teenagers disappear, the town’s grief turns to panic, then paranoia. Every tourist becomes suspect. Neighbors and friends begin to look at each other with a watchful eye. One resident watches with satisfaction as the town falls apart. Every citizen plays their role to perfection and the teenagers’ captor takes pride in creating their greatest masterpiece yet.
✨Review✨
Coming in under 250 pages, The Puppet Hunter is a one sitting, can't put down mystery that will keep you enthralled until the very last page. The multiple POV kept the suspense high with a layer of creepiness given with it. It allowed the reader to suspect and try to work out the puzzle along with the Sheriff MC. The twist at the end was twisty! I never guessed how it would be played out.
Read this if you enjoy a good crime drama with insight into the perpetrator's background and POV.
September 1, 2025
The Puppet Hunter by Trish Arrowsmith is a gripping, atmospheric thriller that hooks you from the very first page and doesn’t let go. Set in a seemingly quiet small town, the story delves deep into the unsettling mystery of a string of teen disappearances. Arrowsmith masterfully builds tension with sharp pacing and layered characters, particularly the sheriff whose dogged determination to uncover the truth feels both personal and urgent.
The novel excels in its intricate plotting and eerie atmosphere—every shadow and silence feels charged with menace. The sense of unease grows steadily, making it impossible to put down. The twists are smart and well-earned, steering clear of clichés while still delivering heart-stopping surprises.
What stands out most is the emotional depth beneath the thriller surface.
The novel excels in its intricate plotting and eerie atmosphere—every shadow and silence feels charged with menace. The sense of unease grows steadily, making it impossible to put down. The twists are smart and well-earned, steering clear of clichés while still delivering heart-stopping surprises.
What stands out most is the emotional depth beneath the thriller surface.
May 31, 2025
I do love me a good mystery book and this did not disappoint. I was constantly wondering what was going to happen and who would be taken next.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s shot enough that someone who is easily distracted could read it with little issue. (My husband is that someone)
If you enjoy a solid mystery with no gore but some implied sexual content this is a great choice!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s shot enough that someone who is easily distracted could read it with little issue. (My husband is that someone)
If you enjoy a solid mystery with no gore but some implied sexual content this is a great choice!
June 5, 2025
Short but Good
A quick easy read, the pace is fast and the characters are relatable, they seem human, with flaws and feelings that are realistic. The only issue I really had was that there are too many characters. It was hard to follow who was who's sibling, who was the parents of which kid, etc. I wish there was a chart or something to help with it.
A quick easy read, the pace is fast and the characters are relatable, they seem human, with flaws and feelings that are realistic. The only issue I really had was that there are too many characters. It was hard to follow who was who's sibling, who was the parents of which kid, etc. I wish there was a chart or something to help with it.
June 15, 2025
I don't read much in the mystery / thriller genre anymore so I'm not even sure how to review. 😅 But I will say it was hard to put down, and I didn't correctly guess "who dunnit" so all in all a fun read! The flow of the omniscient third person POV made it read like a crime TV show, and I really liked the villain's backstory woven in throughout.
July 8, 2025
This psychological thriller is set in a small town where four or five girls have gone missing. The story follows the sheriff as he tries to uncover what’s going on. It’s told through multiple POVs—not just the sheriff’s, but also the person responsible for the disappearances. As readers, we get to see what he’s doing, why he’s doing it, and what’s going on in his mind.
I gave this book 4 stars. I’ve read Trish Aerosmith’s books before and really enjoyed them. This one was good, too. I found it easy to immerse myself in the story and picture what was happening.
However, I did get lost multiple times—not just with the hunter’s perspective, but with the overall cast of characters. There were a lot of people to keep track of, and since it’s a small town, everyone is connected in some way. That made it a bit confusing at times, and it was the main reason I didn’t rate it higher.
That said, the story itself was strong. I especially liked getting into the hunter’s mind and understanding his motives. It’s definitely worth the read—you just have to pay close attention to who’s who.
I gave this book 4 stars. I’ve read Trish Aerosmith’s books before and really enjoyed them. This one was good, too. I found it easy to immerse myself in the story and picture what was happening.
However, I did get lost multiple times—not just with the hunter’s perspective, but with the overall cast of characters. There were a lot of people to keep track of, and since it’s a small town, everyone is connected in some way. That made it a bit confusing at times, and it was the main reason I didn’t rate it higher.
That said, the story itself was strong. I especially liked getting into the hunter’s mind and understanding his motives. It’s definitely worth the read—you just have to pay close attention to who’s who.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews