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I Came Back for You
Not yet published
Expected 1 Mar 26A mother begins to challenge everything she’s been told about her daughter’s murder in a shocking novel of suspense by a New York Times bestselling author.
Ten years after her daughter, Melanie, was murdered, Bree Winter is finally moving on with a new love, a new home, and a new beginning. Then a deathbed confession from the convicted killer throws Bree’s life into a tailspin all over again. He readily confesses to murdering four girls. But not Melanie.
At first, Bree and her ex-husband don’t buy a word of it. Until inconsistencies about the crime emerge. So does the dreadful feeling that the monster who shattered Bree’s family isn’t lying. The only way she can get to the truth is to power through the trauma and return to the town in upstate New York where Melanie’s life came to a brutal end.
Bree will do anything to find justice for her daughter and finish this nightmare forever. Instead, it’s just beginning. Not only could the real killer still be in their midst, but as Bree begins to dig through Melanie’s past, what she discovers calls into question everything she has believed—about the crime and about Melanie herself.
Ten years after her daughter, Melanie, was murdered, Bree Winter is finally moving on with a new love, a new home, and a new beginning. Then a deathbed confession from the convicted killer throws Bree’s life into a tailspin all over again. He readily confesses to murdering four girls. But not Melanie.
At first, Bree and her ex-husband don’t buy a word of it. Until inconsistencies about the crime emerge. So does the dreadful feeling that the monster who shattered Bree’s family isn’t lying. The only way she can get to the truth is to power through the trauma and return to the town in upstate New York where Melanie’s life came to a brutal end.
Bree will do anything to find justice for her daughter and finish this nightmare forever. Instead, it’s just beginning. Not only could the real killer still be in their midst, but as Bree begins to dig through Melanie’s past, what she discovers calls into question everything she has believed—about the crime and about Melanie herself.
299 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 1, 2026
3778 people want to read
About the author
Kate White
60 books2,853 followersKate White is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nineteen novels of suspense: eight Bailey Weggins mysteries and eleven stand alone psychological thrillers, including the upcoming I CAME BACK FOR YOU (March 1)
Kate’s first Bailey Weggins mystery, IF LOOK COULD KILL, was a Kelly Ripa Book Club pick, a #1 bestseller on Amazon, and an instant New York Times bestseller. She has been nominated for numerous awards, including an International Thriller Writers Award in the fiction category, and her books have been published in over 30 countries.
She is also the author of several bestselling career books, including I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This and the ground-breaking Wall Street Journal bestseller, Why Good Girls Don’t Get Ahead but Gutsy Girls Do.
Kate is a frequent speaker at libraries, bookstores, and conferences, and has appeared on many television shows, including The Today Show, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, Morning Joe, and CNN’s Quest Means Business.
A former Glamour magazine Top Ten College Women Contest winner and cover girl, Kate had a long career in the media business. For fourteen years she was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, which under her became the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. Though she loved the magazine business, she decided to leave over a decade ago and concentrate full-time on her passion for suspense fiction.
Kate is an avid traveler and spends each winter with her husband at their home in Uruguay. She holds an honorary doctorate of letters from her alma mater, Union College, where she gave the 2022 commencement address.
Kate’s first Bailey Weggins mystery, IF LOOK COULD KILL, was a Kelly Ripa Book Club pick, a #1 bestseller on Amazon, and an instant New York Times bestseller. She has been nominated for numerous awards, including an International Thriller Writers Award in the fiction category, and her books have been published in over 30 countries.
She is also the author of several bestselling career books, including I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This and the ground-breaking Wall Street Journal bestseller, Why Good Girls Don’t Get Ahead but Gutsy Girls Do.
Kate is a frequent speaker at libraries, bookstores, and conferences, and has appeared on many television shows, including The Today Show, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, Morning Joe, and CNN’s Quest Means Business.
A former Glamour magazine Top Ten College Women Contest winner and cover girl, Kate had a long career in the media business. For fourteen years she was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, which under her became the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. Though she loved the magazine business, she decided to leave over a decade ago and concentrate full-time on her passion for suspense fiction.
Kate is an avid traveler and spends each winter with her husband at their home in Uruguay. She holds an honorary doctorate of letters from her alma mater, Union College, where she gave the 2022 commencement address.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
February 8, 2026
A subdued yet also highly charged novel of love, loss, and justice, I Came Back for You easily blew my mind in one very late night of reading. Told from the perspective of a still grieving mother a decade after the loss of her somewhat estranged daughter, this deeply moving tale mixed plenty of chills into the binge-able pages. Tense, immersive, and deliberately paced, the slow-boiling start revealed a plethora of insights about the root-for-able narrator. With a brilliant character arc over the course of the novel, Bree’s persona was one I connected to with ease. Much of that was likely thanks to the unhurried first half, where I not only got to know all of the characters but also felt the darkness creep ever closer. You see, once the dark secrets began to unfurl, the plot took me on an emotional yet adrenaline-fueled ride that I couldn’t put down. After all, the last one hundred pages had me holding on for dear life.
So how exactly did the plot blow me away? Well, this serial killer-centered whodunnit not only offered up plenty of long-buried secrets but even more unguessable twists and suspicious-looking characters. Going up against Bree’s amateur sleuthing, it was only a matter of time until the suspects got whittled down to one. Along the way, though, the drama, scandal, and intrigue had me enjoying the tea with my popcorn-filled bowl at the ready. Did that lessen the impact of this tragic tale? Not in the slightest. You see, the emotion that White packed into these chapters actually had me crying by the last page. Don’t get me wrong, some of Bree’s decisions made me want to shake her but good as the plot picked up steam. That, however, only further convinced me of her roiling grief and anger. All in all, this was yet another explosive one-sitting read of taut writing from White. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Ten years after her daughter, Melanie, was murdered, Bree Winter is finally moving on with a new love, a new home, and a new beginning. Then a deathbed confession from the convicted killer throws Bree’s life into a tailspin all over again. He readily confesses to murdering four girls. But not Melanie.
At first, Bree and her ex-husband don’t buy a word of it. Until inconsistencies about the crime emerge. So does the dreadful feeling that the monster who shattered Bree’s family isn’t lying. The only way she can get to the truth is to power through the trauma and return to the town in upstate New York where Melanie’s life came to a brutal end.
Bree will do anything to find justice for her daughter and finish this nightmare forever. Instead, it’s just beginning. Not only could the real killer still be in their midst, but as Bree begins to dig through Melanie’s past, what she discovers calls into question everything she has believed—about the crime and about Melanie herself.
Thank you Kate White and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: January 27, 2026
Content warning: child death, murder, infidelity, inappropriate relationship, suicide, mention of: rape
So how exactly did the plot blow me away? Well, this serial killer-centered whodunnit not only offered up plenty of long-buried secrets but even more unguessable twists and suspicious-looking characters. Going up against Bree’s amateur sleuthing, it was only a matter of time until the suspects got whittled down to one. Along the way, though, the drama, scandal, and intrigue had me enjoying the tea with my popcorn-filled bowl at the ready. Did that lessen the impact of this tragic tale? Not in the slightest. You see, the emotion that White packed into these chapters actually had me crying by the last page. Don’t get me wrong, some of Bree’s decisions made me want to shake her but good as the plot picked up steam. That, however, only further convinced me of her roiling grief and anger. All in all, this was yet another explosive one-sitting read of taut writing from White. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Ten years after her daughter, Melanie, was murdered, Bree Winter is finally moving on with a new love, a new home, and a new beginning. Then a deathbed confession from the convicted killer throws Bree’s life into a tailspin all over again. He readily confesses to murdering four girls. But not Melanie.
At first, Bree and her ex-husband don’t buy a word of it. Until inconsistencies about the crime emerge. So does the dreadful feeling that the monster who shattered Bree’s family isn’t lying. The only way she can get to the truth is to power through the trauma and return to the town in upstate New York where Melanie’s life came to a brutal end.
Bree will do anything to find justice for her daughter and finish this nightmare forever. Instead, it’s just beginning. Not only could the real killer still be in their midst, but as Bree begins to dig through Melanie’s past, what she discovers calls into question everything she has believed—about the crime and about Melanie herself.
Thank you Kate White and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: January 27, 2026
Content warning: child death, murder, infidelity, inappropriate relationship, suicide, mention of: rape
September 7, 2025
In I Came Back for You, Kate White delivers a quietly explosive mystery about a daughter’s final days through the eyes of a mother desperate to understand the daughter she lost. Bree returns to the place she hoped never to see again, chasing answers about her daughter’s death—and the version of the young woman she never got to fully know. What follows is a taut, deeply felt whodunnit filled with grief, reckoning, and painful truths that come to light only when it’s too late to ask the questions. A five-star story that lingers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Kate White always has such drama filled, emotional stories. After slowish start, I Came Back For You ramped rough up and I couldn’t put it down. I got caught up in this story, the grief and anger of Bree was so intense, I really did feel for her, despite some of the terrible decisions that she made.
A mother discovers that there is doubt over who really killed her daughter. She needs to know what happened to her and why, so reluctantly returns to where it happened to get answers. She finds that she didn’t really know her daughter all the well after all, uncovering her secrets and bringing new suspects into the case.
It was a sad story, the unimaginable nightmare of losing a daughter in such a brutal way. I read this in a day, easy to get lost in the story.
Thank you Thomas and Mercer for the early copy of this book to read. Publishes on March 1st.
A mother discovers that there is doubt over who really killed her daughter. She needs to know what happened to her and why, so reluctantly returns to where it happened to get answers. She finds that she didn’t really know her daughter all the well after all, uncovering her secrets and bringing new suspects into the case.
It was a sad story, the unimaginable nightmare of losing a daughter in such a brutal way. I read this in a day, easy to get lost in the story.
Thank you Thomas and Mercer for the early copy of this book to read. Publishes on March 1st.
August 28, 2025
Couldn’t put this book down!
Kate White doesn’t disappoint.
This book is a rollercoaster with so many twists. I couldn’t stop reading.
Bree is such a formidable character and she stopped at nothing to solve the crime of her daughter’s death.
Kate White doesn’t disappoint.
This book is a rollercoaster with so many twists. I couldn’t stop reading.
Bree is such a formidable character and she stopped at nothing to solve the crime of her daughter’s death.
January 29, 2026
#ad much love for my advance copy @mbc_books #partner
& @brilliamceaudio #partner for the ALC
🅸 🅲🅰🅼🅴 🅱🅰🅲🅺 🅵🅾🆁 🆈🅾🆄
< @
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ: ᴊᴀɴᴜᴀʀʏ 𝟤𝟩, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟨
Okay, I love Kate White’s books. Usually. But what the heck is this book .. boyfriend leaves (bc he just has to) leaving you alone for days when your ex husband shows up (who you haven’t seen in 7 years) and one of the first things you talk about is the food? Horrible start and I was so bored. 🫣 But it came around lol.
They thought they knew who murdered their daughter, but when the killer confesses to all of his crimes, she isn’t one of them. Now he’s died and all they are left with is more questions. If he didn’t kill their daughter then who did.
🎧: Also listened to the audio while following along and really enjoyed this audio. Sarah Naughton has one of those voices that were just made for audiobooks. So talented with her pitch, tone, and changes in her voice.
I liked this one. Solid mystery and typical White vibes.
& @brilliamceaudio #partner for the ALC
🅸 🅲🅰🅼🅴 🅱🅰🅲🅺 🅵🅾🆁 🆈🅾🆄
< @
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ: ᴊᴀɴᴜᴀʀʏ 𝟤𝟩, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟨
Okay, I love Kate White’s books. Usually. But what the heck is this book .. boyfriend leaves (bc he just has to) leaving you alone for days when your ex husband shows up (who you haven’t seen in 7 years) and one of the first things you talk about is the food? Horrible start and I was so bored. 🫣 But it came around lol.
They thought they knew who murdered their daughter, but when the killer confesses to all of his crimes, she isn’t one of them. Now he’s died and all they are left with is more questions. If he didn’t kill their daughter then who did.
🎧: Also listened to the audio while following along and really enjoyed this audio. Sarah Naughton has one of those voices that were just made for audiobooks. So talented with her pitch, tone, and changes in her voice.
I liked this one. Solid mystery and typical White vibes.
October 8, 2025
3.25
First I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this in advance!
It was an interesting book, following Bree while she comes back to the place where her daughter was murdered while navigating being close to her ex husband and also finding out new details regarding her daughter’s murder.
I’d say it had a great potential and the second part was interesting with all the reveals. However, the first half felt too slow, there was also this romantic drama where Bree started contemplating between her ex and her current partner that kind of felt not something that brings much to the plot, in my eyes.
Neither of the characters felt deep and I couldn’t connect to either. There were some nice twists happening that were quite entertaining to read about and ones that I appreciated. But then Bree did something that just lost me as a character as well and I simply couldn’t see her as someone likeable or relatable.
Let me say I strongly believe once a cheater is always a cheater. Moving on from grief is not an easy and I’d say impossible because it’s always there. And yet certain actions of the characters…well I couldn’t like them.
This being said, i don’t think it’s a bad book, the reveal at the night was nice. The ending works with everything that happens in the book as well. I believe most people would enjoy it!
First I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this in advance!
It was an interesting book, following Bree while she comes back to the place where her daughter was murdered while navigating being close to her ex husband and also finding out new details regarding her daughter’s murder.
I’d say it had a great potential and the second part was interesting with all the reveals. However, the first half felt too slow, there was also this romantic drama where Bree started contemplating between her ex and her current partner that kind of felt not something that brings much to the plot, in my eyes.
Neither of the characters felt deep and I couldn’t connect to either. There were some nice twists happening that were quite entertaining to read about and ones that I appreciated. But then Bree did something that just lost me as a character as well and I simply couldn’t see her as someone likeable or relatable.
Let me say I strongly believe once a cheater is always a cheater. Moving on from grief is not an easy and I’d say impossible because it’s always there. And yet certain actions of the characters…well I couldn’t like them.
This being said, i don’t think it’s a bad book, the reveal at the night was nice. The ending works with everything that happens in the book as well. I believe most people would enjoy it!
August 29, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I Came Back For You is a mystery that will keep readers guessing until the end. While the premise was intriguing and the ending did deliver a surprise, I personally struggled with the pacing and didn’t feel as connected to the characters as I’d hoped. For me, a bit more emotion, a more relatable protagonist, and some added suspense would have made the story more engaging.
That said, I think readers who enjoy a slower burn mystery with a surprising conclusion may connect with this one more than I did.
I Came Back For You is a mystery that will keep readers guessing until the end. While the premise was intriguing and the ending did deliver a surprise, I personally struggled with the pacing and didn’t feel as connected to the characters as I’d hoped. For me, a bit more emotion, a more relatable protagonist, and some added suspense would have made the story more engaging.
That said, I think readers who enjoy a slower burn mystery with a surprising conclusion may connect with this one more than I did.
January 28, 2026
Review to come.
February 12, 2026
Anticlimactic.
October 24, 2025
I’m fairly new to Kate White, but I have to say I really enjoy her books. This was a great story with deception and red herrings. I liked the throw backs to the past. And I was left with a feeling of hope when I finished it, which is pretty rare for thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!
August 29, 2025
#ArcReview
What if the killer you believed destroyed your life… wasn’t the one at all?
📖 Book: I Came Back for Y
✍️ Author: @katewhite_author
📅 Pub Date: January 27, 2026
🏷️ Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
⭐ My Rating: 4.5/5
Ten years after the brutal murder of her daughter, Bree Winter has finally begun to stitch her life back together—new love, new home, a fragile sense of peace. But all of it unravels with a single deathbed confession. The man who admitted to killing Melanie now claims he never touched her. He confesses to four murders… but not hers.
That moment pulls Bree back into the shadows she thought she had escaped. Did the justice system get it wrong? Was the real killer still out there, hiding in plain sight? And worse—what dark truths about Melanie’s life are waiting to surface if Bree keeps digging?
This is one of those books you simply cannot put down. Every chapter raises new questions, each twist pushing you deeper into a chilling and unpredictable truth. Just when you think you’ve pieced it together, Kate White proves you wrong.
The characters are powerfully written—Bree, whose strength is as raw as her grief; Logan, who adds steady grounding amidst the chaos; and Bas, whose presence brings both comfort and tension. Together they create a web of relationships that feel real and layered, pulling you closer into their world.
The story grips you from the very first page and refuses to let go. You keep reading, desperate to uncover what really happened to Melanie, yet dreading what the next revelation might bring.
I Came Back for You is haunting, riveting, and full of heart-stopping suspense. A must-read for mystery and thriller lovers who crave a story that lingers long after the final page.
Thank you @netgalley and @thomasmerceruk for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#ICameBackforYou #katewhitebooks #MysteryThriller #NetGalley #ThomasAndMercer #ThrillerBooks #Bookstagram #BookReview #Unputdownable #jan172026 #MustReadThriller
What if the killer you believed destroyed your life… wasn’t the one at all?
📖 Book: I Came Back for Y
✍️ Author: @katewhite_author
📅 Pub Date: January 27, 2026
🏷️ Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
⭐ My Rating: 4.5/5
Ten years after the brutal murder of her daughter, Bree Winter has finally begun to stitch her life back together—new love, new home, a fragile sense of peace. But all of it unravels with a single deathbed confession. The man who admitted to killing Melanie now claims he never touched her. He confesses to four murders… but not hers.
That moment pulls Bree back into the shadows she thought she had escaped. Did the justice system get it wrong? Was the real killer still out there, hiding in plain sight? And worse—what dark truths about Melanie’s life are waiting to surface if Bree keeps digging?
This is one of those books you simply cannot put down. Every chapter raises new questions, each twist pushing you deeper into a chilling and unpredictable truth. Just when you think you’ve pieced it together, Kate White proves you wrong.
The characters are powerfully written—Bree, whose strength is as raw as her grief; Logan, who adds steady grounding amidst the chaos; and Bas, whose presence brings both comfort and tension. Together they create a web of relationships that feel real and layered, pulling you closer into their world.
The story grips you from the very first page and refuses to let go. You keep reading, desperate to uncover what really happened to Melanie, yet dreading what the next revelation might bring.
I Came Back for You is haunting, riveting, and full of heart-stopping suspense. A must-read for mystery and thriller lovers who crave a story that lingers long after the final page.
Thank you @netgalley and @thomasmerceruk for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#ICameBackforYou #katewhitebooks #MysteryThriller #NetGalley #ThomasAndMercer #ThrillerBooks #Bookstagram #BookReview #Unputdownable #jan172026 #MustReadThriller
February 11, 2026
I can’t say enough bad things about this book. The main character was so paranoid and self-depreciating that I couldn’t deal with it. Her inner monologues of her every thought would go on for many pages. If you trimmed out all the bullshit, the book would have been much shorter. I got to the point where I was skimming through the inner monologues just to get through the book. I almost DNF’d it, but decided to push through because I was interested in who the murderer was. The twist was interesting but the thing that her mother didn’t know about was that she was a lesbian or bi or some shit like that. Nevertheless, I was so excited when I deleted this book off my kindle.
February 14, 2026
It was okay. While I really enjoyed the story, I didn’t connect to the writing style. So many unnecessary words.
Good twists though. It’s definitely a who done it novel.
Good twists though. It’s definitely a who done it novel.
September 3, 2025
This was a page turner I couldn't put it down! I liked the character of Bree. (I find it notable that White often assigns names that start with "B" to her main characters.) The mystery of whether her daughter was killed by a convicted serial killer or not drives the story and then there is the relationship with her ex-husband that is compelling as well.
The synopsis says that college junior Melanie Chase was killed 10 years ago, but in the book it's been 8 years. It's a strange coincidence that Mel's former college is having a reception thanking Bree and her husband for their scholarship fund right after the man they thought killed Mel, Calvin Ruck, claims he didn't. Is he pulling their chain or is he just not willing to take "credit" for something he truly didn't do? Bree decides to leave her new home in Uruguay with current partner Sebastian to go to the reception and look into things with the police there. And there is nothing full of more secrets and suspicious characters than a college campus!
The ending was a surprise - I didn't predict whodunnit - BUT my biggest complaint is the pacing. The killer is found and caught rather uneventfully at 90%. The last 10% is Bree going home and dealing with the emotional fallout of everything. I actually thought there'd be a twist and that they had the wrong killer because there was quite a bit of book left! That was my only complaint and knocked it down a star for me.
I'm also confused about the cover of this book - it makes it look like someone drowns but that's not part of the story at all. Maybe it's to do with the creek? But that isn't related to Melanie's case at all.
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and give my honest review!
The synopsis says that college junior Melanie Chase was killed 10 years ago, but in the book it's been 8 years. It's a strange coincidence that Mel's former college is having a reception thanking Bree and her husband for their scholarship fund right after the man they thought killed Mel, Calvin Ruck, claims he didn't. Is he pulling their chain or is he just not willing to take "credit" for something he truly didn't do? Bree decides to leave her new home in Uruguay with current partner Sebastian to go to the reception and look into things with the police there. And there is nothing full of more secrets and suspicious characters than a college campus!
The ending was a surprise - I didn't predict whodunnit - BUT my biggest complaint is the pacing. The killer is found and caught rather uneventfully at 90%. The last 10% is Bree going home and dealing with the emotional fallout of everything. I actually thought there'd be a twist and that they had the wrong killer because there was quite a bit of book left! That was my only complaint and knocked it down a star for me.
I'm also confused about the cover of this book - it makes it look like someone drowns but that's not part of the story at all. Maybe it's to do with the creek? But that isn't related to Melanie's case at all.
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and give my honest review!
October 28, 2025
Title: I Came Back for You
Author: Kate White
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date Scheduled for January 27, 2026
My Rating: 4.5
Pages: 304
Ten years after Bree Winter’s daughter, Melanie, was murdered, Bree is moving on. She has a new love, and a new home- surely this equals a new beginning.
One night when Sabastian her partner is away she gets a call from Logan Chase her ex-husband. He tells her they got a letter from Calvin Ruck’s lawyer of a deathbed confession (Calvin Rock was their daughter’s convicted killer). Ruck confesses to murdering four girls- two he was convicted of killing but also two other who were college students -one from Ohio and the other PA both when missing. He also states although he was in the area of their daughter the night she was murdered - he DID NOT killer her.
When Sebastian return she tells him about Logan’s visit. She also states she doesn’t believe Ruck is telling the truth.
Later she and Logan return to where it all happened to speak to police. While there Riley … tells them she was attacked that night but was afraid to tell her parents so didn’t come forward. She believes it was Ruck who attacked her and since it was in the same park not far from where Mel was found. She believes Ruck killed Mel.
This story indeed was a wild ride for me. I do love thrillers – one with loads of twists is a joy! I love it. Bree is a great character. I had mixed emotion regarding her new or perhaps old feeling for Logan so wasn’t sure where that was going. But have to love that Bree didn’t stop until crime of her daughter’s death was solved.
About the Author Kate White ~ She is a former Glamour magazine Top Ten College Women Contest winner and cover girl, Kate had a long career in the media business, eventually running five national magazines. For fourteen years she was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, which under her became the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. Though she loved her magazine career, she decided to leave eleven years ago to concentrate full-time on another passion: writing suspense Fiction
Kate is an avid traveler and spends each winter with her husband at their home in Uruguay. She holds an honorary doctorate of letters from her alma mater, Union College, where she gave the 2022 commencement address.
.Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this granted me the pleasure of reading this great early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 27, 2026.
Author: Kate White
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date Scheduled for January 27, 2026
My Rating: 4.5
Pages: 304
Ten years after Bree Winter’s daughter, Melanie, was murdered, Bree is moving on. She has a new love, and a new home- surely this equals a new beginning.
One night when Sabastian her partner is away she gets a call from Logan Chase her ex-husband. He tells her they got a letter from Calvin Ruck’s lawyer of a deathbed confession (Calvin Rock was their daughter’s convicted killer). Ruck confesses to murdering four girls- two he was convicted of killing but also two other who were college students -one from Ohio and the other PA both when missing. He also states although he was in the area of their daughter the night she was murdered - he DID NOT killer her.
When Sebastian return she tells him about Logan’s visit. She also states she doesn’t believe Ruck is telling the truth.
Later she and Logan return to where it all happened to speak to police. While there Riley … tells them she was attacked that night but was afraid to tell her parents so didn’t come forward. She believes it was Ruck who attacked her and since it was in the same park not far from where Mel was found. She believes Ruck killed Mel.
This story indeed was a wild ride for me. I do love thrillers – one with loads of twists is a joy! I love it. Bree is a great character. I had mixed emotion regarding her new or perhaps old feeling for Logan so wasn’t sure where that was going. But have to love that Bree didn’t stop until crime of her daughter’s death was solved.
About the Author Kate White ~ She is a former Glamour magazine Top Ten College Women Contest winner and cover girl, Kate had a long career in the media business, eventually running five national magazines. For fourteen years she was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, which under her became the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. Though she loved her magazine career, she decided to leave eleven years ago to concentrate full-time on another passion: writing suspense Fiction
Kate is an avid traveler and spends each winter with her husband at their home in Uruguay. She holds an honorary doctorate of letters from her alma mater, Union College, where she gave the 2022 commencement address.
.Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this granted me the pleasure of reading this great early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 27, 2026.
September 3, 2025
⭐️2.5 stars⭐️
A twisty mystery that will keep you guessing. The pacing for the first half of the book is VERY slow, but I thoroughly enjoyed the second half. A true “whodunit” that will have you theorizing until the very end.
While I really enjoyed the story, I found the characters to lack depth. I wasn’t emotionally invested in any of them except Logan, the ex-husband. I found Bree (FMC) to be a bit infuriating at times. Her character seemed very timid and not at all assertive in the beginning of the book, but then she abruptly became this pushy person (rightfully so because she wanted justice for her daughter) that seemed out of character to who she was in the beginning. I did particularly enjoy how the book ended, it was one of the few times I felt emotionally connected to the characters.
Overall, I found the plot to be very intriguing, and I enjoyed reading the book. I just wish the characters had more depth to them so I could feel invested in what they were doing.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an advanced eBook copy!
A twisty mystery that will keep you guessing. The pacing for the first half of the book is VERY slow, but I thoroughly enjoyed the second half. A true “whodunit” that will have you theorizing until the very end.
While I really enjoyed the story, I found the characters to lack depth. I wasn’t emotionally invested in any of them except Logan, the ex-husband. I found Bree (FMC) to be a bit infuriating at times. Her character seemed very timid and not at all assertive in the beginning of the book, but then she abruptly became this pushy person (rightfully so because she wanted justice for her daughter) that seemed out of character to who she was in the beginning. I did particularly enjoy how the book ended, it was one of the few times I felt emotionally connected to the characters.
Overall, I found the plot to be very intriguing, and I enjoyed reading the book. I just wish the characters had more depth to them so I could feel invested in what they were doing.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an advanced eBook copy!
October 7, 2025
4.5 stars
✨This is a compelling and emotionally resonant suspense that kept my mind racing with suspicion, all while my heart was aching for its characters. The author did a fabulous job bringing together a murder mystery with some really deep themes like motherhood, loss, guilt and reckoning. This is a tale of the stories we tell ourselves to survive when the world falls apart, and it’s beautifully told within the framework of a riveting thriller.
✨For me, the book's heart is the lingering grief of a mother, who must confront the painful possibility she never really knew her child. The suspense is palpable, but it’s the characters' aching emotional journey that truly makes this story come alive.
✨This is definitely a book I’ll be recommending.
🌿Read if you like:
✨Whodunnit mysteries
✨Mid-life main female main characters
✨Crime fiction
✨Dual settings/small-town Northeast US and Uruguay here
✨Slow burn tension
✨Thrillers with an emotional gut punch
✨Last lines that leave you in tears
✨Stories that linger
✨This is a compelling and emotionally resonant suspense that kept my mind racing with suspicion, all while my heart was aching for its characters. The author did a fabulous job bringing together a murder mystery with some really deep themes like motherhood, loss, guilt and reckoning. This is a tale of the stories we tell ourselves to survive when the world falls apart, and it’s beautifully told within the framework of a riveting thriller.
✨For me, the book's heart is the lingering grief of a mother, who must confront the painful possibility she never really knew her child. The suspense is palpable, but it’s the characters' aching emotional journey that truly makes this story come alive.
✨This is definitely a book I’ll be recommending.
🌿Read if you like:
✨Whodunnit mysteries
✨Mid-life main female main characters
✨Crime fiction
✨Dual settings/small-town Northeast US and Uruguay here
✨Slow burn tension
✨Thrillers with an emotional gut punch
✨Last lines that leave you in tears
✨Stories that linger
February 8, 2026
A slow burn, twisty serial killer whodunit.
When a death bed confession threatens everything Bree Winter thought she knew, she is determined to find the person responsible for her daughter’s murder. Leaving behind her new found peace, Bree joins her ex husband in NY to uncover the truth. At first, she’s hopeful that the convicted killer was lying, only trying to find salvation, but the more she learns the more she has doubts. Now she’s suspicious of everyone who crossed paths with her daughter. What if she never finds out the truth? Was it better to have believed Melanie’s killer was found, even if it wasn’t true? Or live life not knowing who it was, and that no justice was served?
Spoilers!
‼️ ‼️ ‼️
I rated this book a 4 because of the journey. It was a slow burn for the first I’d say 40%. I felt that the ending was lacking something.
I wish we would have felt more of a connection to Melanie but I was rooting for Bree to get the answers she needed.
The hypocritical cheating storyline was annoying though. Divorce your husband for cheating when you’re already grieving, but then turn around and cheat with the cheater who’s now cheating again 🤣
When a death bed confession threatens everything Bree Winter thought she knew, she is determined to find the person responsible for her daughter’s murder. Leaving behind her new found peace, Bree joins her ex husband in NY to uncover the truth. At first, she’s hopeful that the convicted killer was lying, only trying to find salvation, but the more she learns the more she has doubts. Now she’s suspicious of everyone who crossed paths with her daughter. What if she never finds out the truth? Was it better to have believed Melanie’s killer was found, even if it wasn’t true? Or live life not knowing who it was, and that no justice was served?
Spoilers!
‼️ ‼️ ‼️
I rated this book a 4 because of the journey. It was a slow burn for the first I’d say 40%. I felt that the ending was lacking something.
I wish we would have felt more of a connection to Melanie but I was rooting for Bree to get the answers she needed.
The hypocritical cheating storyline was annoying though. Divorce your husband for cheating when you’re already grieving, but then turn around and cheat with the cheater who’s now cheating again 🤣
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Writing thrillers seem tough. There are so many moving parts and scenes constructed to support misdirection that could easily make things confusing. But this book did an amazing job sitting me in the chair and ensuring I didn't miss a beat. I really enjoyed it!
However, the reveal made me feel empty inside, and I kept waiting for the real plot twist to arrive that never landed. And then the book was done.
Overall, the story was okay. After suffering weeks in a book slump, this kept me entertained. I couldn't put it down! This book was a 4.25, but it should've been a 5. I'll definitely go looking for more books by the author because I loved her writing style.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC!
However, the reveal made me feel empty inside, and I kept waiting for the real plot twist to arrive that never landed. And then the book was done.
Overall, the story was okay. After suffering weeks in a book slump, this kept me entertained. I couldn't put it down! This book was a 4.25, but it should've been a 5. I'll definitely go looking for more books by the author because I loved her writing style.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC!
January 21, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was my first Kate White novel and honestly… yeah. I get it.
This book hit heavy. Grief, trauma, anxiety, deception — all of it — but somehow still insanely easy to binge. I flew through it without even realizing how invested I was.
Bree Winter had me. Her anxiety felt real, her trauma felt messy, and the mystery around her daughter was unsettling in that quiet, creeping way that just sits with you. It wasn’t twists for shock value — it actually made me feel something.
Dark. Addictive. Lowkey devastating.
Huge thanks to NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first Kate White novel and honestly… yeah. I get it.
This book hit heavy. Grief, trauma, anxiety, deception — all of it — but somehow still insanely easy to binge. I flew through it without even realizing how invested I was.
Bree Winter had me. Her anxiety felt real, her trauma felt messy, and the mystery around her daughter was unsettling in that quiet, creeping way that just sits with you. It wasn’t twists for shock value — it actually made me feel something.
Dark. Addictive. Lowkey devastating.
Huge thanks to NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.
read-fiction
February 14, 2026I received an advanced copy of this book, so I am reviewing it before its publication. While it was not a bad book, I found Bree, the central character, to be a troubled and troublesome woman--and she had every right to be troubled as her only child, her daughter Melanie (a college student), had been murdered several years earlier. But I didn't like Bree very much, so that decreased my enjoyment of the book. Those who are fans of intricate mystery stories (more than I am), though, will likely find this narrative to be of considerable interest, which will make many of them want to keep on and keep on reading to see how things turn out.
February 5, 2026
It was okay. I found the way she divided up the chapters very distracting. It seemed like she finished the book, then decided to put a certain number of chapters in and just divided up the pages. Right in the middle of a conversation there would be a new chapter. It was so strange.
There wasn’t closure for a couple of things, which bothered me, like who actually locked her in the room. And one character who I assumed would end up having a bigger role, didn’t. The content of the phone calls and text messages to Bas seemed mostly unnecessary. And honestly, I didn’t like her as much after she cheated on Bas.
It was my first Kate White book, and although I wouldn’t rush out to get another, I won’t write her off just yet.
There wasn’t closure for a couple of things, which bothered me, like who actually locked her in the room. And one character who I assumed would end up having a bigger role, didn’t. The content of the phone calls and text messages to Bas seemed mostly unnecessary. And honestly, I didn’t like her as much after she cheated on Bas.
It was my first Kate White book, and although I wouldn’t rush out to get another, I won’t write her off just yet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2026
Good quick murder mystery!
February 11, 2026
Really conflicted with this one. The plot twist was good, but it was hard to stay engaged for at least the first half.
February 10, 2026
Eh, this book showed promise, but it was sort of slow moving and not much happened. The mystery was not suspenseful at all, a lot of the main character just talking in too much detail. I can’t really say why anyone would read this book, very mediocre. I guess that’s what I get for a free Amazon read.
November 8, 2025
Bree Winter, 53, is living in Uruguay with her partner, Sebastian. She is in a good place and healing from the trauma of her past life. Eight years ago, her college-going daughter Melanie was killed by a ruthless serial killer, Calvin Ruck. In the aftermath of that horror, Bree and her husband Logan Chase drifted apart as he sought to manage his grief through infidelity.
In the present time, Logan has donated an enormous sum of money towards two scholarships and the renovation of the editorial office of the college’s literary magazine, both in the name of Melanie. Around this time, Ruck, who is serving time for his crimes, has admitted to killing two other women, while asserting that he didn’t kill Melanie.
Now Bree and Logan are thrust once again into the nightmare. She flies up to New York to attend the reception in honour of the scholarships, and begins her own investigation into who might have wanted her daughter dead.
The story is written in the first-person present-tense PoV of Bree.
WHAT I LIKED: It was good to see a protagonist in her 50s. The fact that she is older than Sebastian by two years is also unconventional and welcome.
Logan came out reasonably well-drawn. Despite the infidelity, he appeared to be a decent character. Bree too came out strong as a mother, torn asunder by grief and desperate for closure, particularly in the second half of the book. The first half, not so much. Given the situation, I liked the note on which the book ended. It made me feel connected to the mother and daughter, after a whole book of struggling with both characters.
There was a smattering of Spanish words and phrases in the chapters set in Uruguay, that I liked.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: There was far too much filler stuff. The book could have been a lot thinner. The scenes in Uruguay seemed like so much filler. The only reason why it has been put there is probably to justify the title, I came back for you. She came back to New York all the way from Uruguay.
The pace improved only when Bree began her own investigation at the 41 percent mark. But only slightly. Then the pace dropped again, then increased at the 46 percent mark. Then it dropped again, and re-surfaced at 51 percent.
While the author built up Logan, Sebastian remained vague. It didn’t help that we meet him in person on page 1, where he flies off to Buenos Aires, and then we only see him through phone calls, texts and emails. We meet him again at the 96 percent mark. Even Melanie came off as insubstantial. Considering that the whole book was about her parents struggling with grief, we don’t get to see much of her personality. The flashbacks relating to her don’t help.
The challenge that befalls Bree at the 67 percent mark doesn’t seem particularly dangerous.
WHAT DIDN’T WORK: The writing was good but there were far too many flashbacks, not all of them very relevant to the story. Many of the flashbacks relate to Logan and their marriage. It got in the way of building tension in the present.
The trajectory of the relationships wasn’t hard to predict. In many ways, I saw this book as women’s fiction as much as a murder mystery. Bree spent a long time trying to get a grip on her feelings for her ex and her current partner.
There were some questions that remained unanswered. For instance, why does a particular character lock Bree in the basement office of the literary magazine? Also, why doesn’t the killer kill Bree when they have the chance, despite knowing that she has figured it all out?
ALL SAID AND DONE: The book should have been shorter. As a mystery, it could have been a lot tighter.
(I received a free copy of this book from the author and publisher for the purpose of writing this review. I read it on NetGalley).
In the present time, Logan has donated an enormous sum of money towards two scholarships and the renovation of the editorial office of the college’s literary magazine, both in the name of Melanie. Around this time, Ruck, who is serving time for his crimes, has admitted to killing two other women, while asserting that he didn’t kill Melanie.
Now Bree and Logan are thrust once again into the nightmare. She flies up to New York to attend the reception in honour of the scholarships, and begins her own investigation into who might have wanted her daughter dead.
The story is written in the first-person present-tense PoV of Bree.
WHAT I LIKED: It was good to see a protagonist in her 50s. The fact that she is older than Sebastian by two years is also unconventional and welcome.
Logan came out reasonably well-drawn. Despite the infidelity, he appeared to be a decent character. Bree too came out strong as a mother, torn asunder by grief and desperate for closure, particularly in the second half of the book. The first half, not so much. Given the situation, I liked the note on which the book ended. It made me feel connected to the mother and daughter, after a whole book of struggling with both characters.
There was a smattering of Spanish words and phrases in the chapters set in Uruguay, that I liked.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: There was far too much filler stuff. The book could have been a lot thinner. The scenes in Uruguay seemed like so much filler. The only reason why it has been put there is probably to justify the title, I came back for you. She came back to New York all the way from Uruguay.
The pace improved only when Bree began her own investigation at the 41 percent mark. But only slightly. Then the pace dropped again, then increased at the 46 percent mark. Then it dropped again, and re-surfaced at 51 percent.
While the author built up Logan, Sebastian remained vague. It didn’t help that we meet him in person on page 1, where he flies off to Buenos Aires, and then we only see him through phone calls, texts and emails. We meet him again at the 96 percent mark. Even Melanie came off as insubstantial. Considering that the whole book was about her parents struggling with grief, we don’t get to see much of her personality. The flashbacks relating to her don’t help.
The challenge that befalls Bree at the 67 percent mark doesn’t seem particularly dangerous.
WHAT DIDN’T WORK: The writing was good but there were far too many flashbacks, not all of them very relevant to the story. Many of the flashbacks relate to Logan and their marriage. It got in the way of building tension in the present.
The trajectory of the relationships wasn’t hard to predict. In many ways, I saw this book as women’s fiction as much as a murder mystery. Bree spent a long time trying to get a grip on her feelings for her ex and her current partner.
There were some questions that remained unanswered. For instance, why does a particular character lock Bree in the basement office of the literary magazine? Also, why doesn’t the killer kill Bree when they have the chance, despite knowing that she has figured it all out?
ALL SAID AND DONE: The book should have been shorter. As a mystery, it could have been a lot tighter.
(I received a free copy of this book from the author and publisher for the purpose of writing this review. I read it on NetGalley).
Review of advance copy
This was my Kindle First jobbie this month-I had a couple by the same author in my wishlist so thought I'd finally get around to reading one by her. I enjoyed it and would read another, but upon her mentioning this was her 19th novel and the nitpicking mistakes I happened upon I had to knock it down a star. By this juncture the presentation ought to be top-notch.
She has a REAL aversion to using question marks which drove me to utter distraction; so much so that I packed in highlighting them in the end because it was only succeeding in irritating me !! Paris needed capitalising, as does Key, she wrote died not dies, wrote my back not my way back and coffee to go needed hyphenating.
We also needed to plough through what I call pages of guff at the beginning.....but referred to as the praise pages. We really don't need all that in the beginning of books. Stick it at the end if you feel the need to add it instead of getting your readers' backs up before they even GET to the story itself !!
I did enjoy the story and it had lots of little twists 'n' turns required to hold one's interest. I liked the inclusion of Mel's funny little phobia. A pity more wasn't really made of this as I found it fascinating. I did find that Bree became more dislikeable the more I got to know her, however. The way she behaved with Logan and the rude manner she used around him and Lisa made me cringe. It did her no favours. Lisa was in a really tricky position and I thought behaved just fine !! From what we learned of Mel, it seemed she had the same abrasive attitude herself as well. I wasn't keen on the way they sanctified her, either, considering everything that happened in her past.
I wondered why Bree got in touch with one of Mel's roommates but not the other. That was never explained and I found it odd. I googled what "Sherlock the menu" means but even AI told me I was on my own there, so I remain none the wiser. I also wondered if she's on commission with Uber cos' they're mentioned countless times !!
So, all in all, the story's a good one but presentation was a bit lacking after those 19 books !!
She has a REAL aversion to using question marks which drove me to utter distraction; so much so that I packed in highlighting them in the end because it was only succeeding in irritating me !! Paris needed capitalising, as does Key, she wrote died not dies, wrote my back not my way back and coffee to go needed hyphenating.
We also needed to plough through what I call pages of guff at the beginning.....but referred to as the praise pages. We really don't need all that in the beginning of books. Stick it at the end if you feel the need to add it instead of getting your readers' backs up before they even GET to the story itself !!
I did enjoy the story and it had lots of little twists 'n' turns required to hold one's interest. I liked the inclusion of Mel's funny little phobia. A pity more wasn't really made of this as I found it fascinating. I did find that Bree became more dislikeable the more I got to know her, however. The way she behaved with Logan and the rude manner she used around him and Lisa made me cringe. It did her no favours. Lisa was in a really tricky position and I thought behaved just fine !! From what we learned of Mel, it seemed she had the same abrasive attitude herself as well. I wasn't keen on the way they sanctified her, either, considering everything that happened in her past.
I wondered why Bree got in touch with one of Mel's roommates but not the other. That was never explained and I found it odd. I googled what "Sherlock the menu" means but even AI told me I was on my own there, so I remain none the wiser. I also wondered if she's on commission with Uber cos' they're mentioned countless times !!
So, all in all, the story's a good one but presentation was a bit lacking after those 19 books !!
August 20, 2025
read if you like:
🔪 murdered daughters
📍 Uruguay
👯 mother daughter connections
summary:
Kate White is one of my top three authors, so when I saw she had a new thriller, I couldn’t wait to read it. The story follows Bree Winter, who has been living in Uruguay after starting over in the wake of her daughter Melanie’s murder ten years ago. Her peace is interrupted when her ex-husband reaches out, letting her know he received a letter from a lawyer saying that the man convicted of their daughter’s murder is adamant that he did not kill her. Refusing to believe it, Bree returns to the United States and to Melanie’s college campus, where the detective lets her know — they are going to reopen Melanie’s case. Taking matters into her own hands, Bree starts speaking with everyone involved in Melanie’s life when she was killed and realizes she might not have known her daughter as well as she thought and more importantly, the killer is still at large.
This book is an engaging, emotional thriller that pulled me in from the start. The characters are well developed, and I especially felt deep empathy for Bree’s pain as a mother—her grief and resilience were palpable throughout the story. The dynamic between Bree and her ex-husband, Logan, was also interesting, offering an thought-provoking commentary on what marriage looks like in the aftermath of tragedy.
The plot is filled with several red herrings that kept me guessing, making the suspense feel both sharp and unpredictable. Despite the twists, it’s a quick read you won’t be able to put down. The ending tied everything together in a satisfying way, leaving me both surprised and content with how Bree’s journey concluded.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the advanced copy. If you love a quick read, check this out when it releases on January 27.
🔪 murdered daughters
📍 Uruguay
👯 mother daughter connections
summary:
Kate White is one of my top three authors, so when I saw she had a new thriller, I couldn’t wait to read it. The story follows Bree Winter, who has been living in Uruguay after starting over in the wake of her daughter Melanie’s murder ten years ago. Her peace is interrupted when her ex-husband reaches out, letting her know he received a letter from a lawyer saying that the man convicted of their daughter’s murder is adamant that he did not kill her. Refusing to believe it, Bree returns to the United States and to Melanie’s college campus, where the detective lets her know — they are going to reopen Melanie’s case. Taking matters into her own hands, Bree starts speaking with everyone involved in Melanie’s life when she was killed and realizes she might not have known her daughter as well as she thought and more importantly, the killer is still at large.
This book is an engaging, emotional thriller that pulled me in from the start. The characters are well developed, and I especially felt deep empathy for Bree’s pain as a mother—her grief and resilience were palpable throughout the story. The dynamic between Bree and her ex-husband, Logan, was also interesting, offering an thought-provoking commentary on what marriage looks like in the aftermath of tragedy.
The plot is filled with several red herrings that kept me guessing, making the suspense feel both sharp and unpredictable. Despite the twists, it’s a quick read you won’t be able to put down. The ending tied everything together in a satisfying way, leaving me both surprised and content with how Bree’s journey concluded.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the advanced copy. If you love a quick read, check this out when it releases on January 27.
August 20, 2025
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉, 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒅, 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒏.
Bree Winters was shattered a decade ago when her college-aged daughter Melanie was murdered. Her marriage fell apart soon after, but she's since moved on with a new life in Uruguay with a partner she adores, even though she feels her daughter's absence each day. The other thing that brings her comfort is the fact that her killer is behind bars.
Then a deathbed confession from the convicted killer upends Bree's carefully reconstructed life. He confessed in detail to murdering four girls, but he refused to take responsibility for Melanie's murder. At first, she and her ex-husband don’t fall for it, figuring that since the killer's life is about to be cut short, he's just trying to cause them more pain. But they can't deny the inconsistencies that have emerged about their daughter's case. Bree decides the only way she can ever get to the truth is to leave her safe haven and return to New York. The only question that remains is what exactly will she find there?
This thriller is going to be a gut punch to so many parents, especially the ones who send their daughters off to college, assuming their safety is guaranteed. What will also hit hard is the flawed, tumultuous relationship Bree often had with Melanie. It's easy for me to recall my desperate 'breaking away' stage where I wanted to be fiercely independent and didn't even want my parents to know who I was as a person. Now, years later in the role of parent, I see how much hurt I caused people who just wanted to know me like they used to. Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for this stunning early copy. Look for this one on January 27, 2026.
Bree Winters was shattered a decade ago when her college-aged daughter Melanie was murdered. Her marriage fell apart soon after, but she's since moved on with a new life in Uruguay with a partner she adores, even though she feels her daughter's absence each day. The other thing that brings her comfort is the fact that her killer is behind bars.
Then a deathbed confession from the convicted killer upends Bree's carefully reconstructed life. He confessed in detail to murdering four girls, but he refused to take responsibility for Melanie's murder. At first, she and her ex-husband don’t fall for it, figuring that since the killer's life is about to be cut short, he's just trying to cause them more pain. But they can't deny the inconsistencies that have emerged about their daughter's case. Bree decides the only way she can ever get to the truth is to leave her safe haven and return to New York. The only question that remains is what exactly will she find there?
This thriller is going to be a gut punch to so many parents, especially the ones who send their daughters off to college, assuming their safety is guaranteed. What will also hit hard is the flawed, tumultuous relationship Bree often had with Melanie. It's easy for me to recall my desperate 'breaking away' stage where I wanted to be fiercely independent and didn't even want my parents to know who I was as a person. Now, years later in the role of parent, I see how much hurt I caused people who just wanted to know me like they used to. Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for this stunning early copy. Look for this one on January 27, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ten years ago Bree and Logan Winter’s daughter Melanie was at college in New York state when she was murdered. The police were sure that a man later convicted of two very similar killings of female college students also killed Melanie. However, although he later admitted to two other murders, he was adamant that he did not kill Melanie.
Now separated from Logan with a new partner and new life, Bree knows she must return to the town where Melanie was killed if she is to find answers to explain her murder. While trying to investigating Melanie’s life at college, Bree is also forced to deal with her own feelings about her daughter and their difficult relationship.
This is a character driven mystery as much as it is a suspense, however only Logan felt like a relatable character; one who was warm, friendly and supportive. Although Melanie and Bree are the focus of the plot, I felt that we never really got to know them very well. Melanie particularly is a vaguely defined character whose personality never emerges from the shadows. It would have been good to have known more about her relationship with her mother and why they didn’t get on.
The pacing of the novel is initially slow, but picks up about half way through once Bree starts looking into the people Melanie interacted with and as suspicions and revelations arise that keep the reader guessing. As Bree’s deep feelings of anger, grief and guilt are explored, driving her on to keep investigating the narrative becomes more compelling. It’s Bree’s sense of loss at never knowing Melanie well that drives the plot and engages the reader into being emotionally invested in the gripping outcome.
With thanks to Thomas and Mercer via Netgalley for a copy to read
Now separated from Logan with a new partner and new life, Bree knows she must return to the town where Melanie was killed if she is to find answers to explain her murder. While trying to investigating Melanie’s life at college, Bree is also forced to deal with her own feelings about her daughter and their difficult relationship.
This is a character driven mystery as much as it is a suspense, however only Logan felt like a relatable character; one who was warm, friendly and supportive. Although Melanie and Bree are the focus of the plot, I felt that we never really got to know them very well. Melanie particularly is a vaguely defined character whose personality never emerges from the shadows. It would have been good to have known more about her relationship with her mother and why they didn’t get on.
The pacing of the novel is initially slow, but picks up about half way through once Bree starts looking into the people Melanie interacted with and as suspicions and revelations arise that keep the reader guessing. As Bree’s deep feelings of anger, grief and guilt are explored, driving her on to keep investigating the narrative becomes more compelling. It’s Bree’s sense of loss at never knowing Melanie well that drives the plot and engages the reader into being emotionally invested in the gripping outcome.
With thanks to Thomas and Mercer via Netgalley for a copy to read
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