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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, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 1, 2026
836 people want to read
About the author
Kate White
53 books2,820 followersKate White is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nineteen novels of suspense: eleven standalone psychological thrillers, including The Last Time She Saw Him (2024), and eight Bailey Weggins mysteries.
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’s first mystery, If Looks 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 an International Thriller Writers Award in the fiction category, and her books have been published in over 30 countries.
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.
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 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.
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’s first mystery, If Looks 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 an International Thriller Writers Award in the fiction category, and her books have been published in over 30 countries.
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.
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 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 46 reviews
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.
September 25, 2025
I Came Back for You
by Kate White
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. This book was pure thriller gold—the kind that keeps you glued to the page, pacing around the room like a conspiracy theorist trying to connect red string on a bulletin board.
Kate White doesn’t waste time. From the opening, we’re dropped straight into Bree’s world—ten years after her daughter Melanie’s murder, finally trying to move forward—when a deathbed confession rips her fragile peace to shreds. The man who supposedly killed her daughter admits to four murders… but not Melanie’s. And just like that, the certainty Bree has clung to all these years unravels.
What made this stand out for me was Bree herself. She’s not perfect, she’s not polished, she’s not “the saintly grieving mother” trope we see too often. She’s complicated, flawed, sometimes maddening, but always believable. She doesn’t just sit back and accept the scraps of information handed to her—she claws for answers, even when the cost is high. Watching her dive headfirst into the past, tearing open old wounds to get to the truth, gave the whole story its raw, emotional edge.
The side cast amplifies the tension beautifully. Her ex-husband, still carrying his own grief but not always on the same page, adds friction that feels painfully real. The small-town characters—each with just enough knowledge to make Bree (and us) suspicious—were handled perfectly. Everyone had a motive to keep quiet, and it made the atmosphere claustrophobic in the best way. You could feel the weight of secrets pressing down, waiting for someone brave—or reckless—enough to dig them up.
And the twists? Top tier. Every time I thought I was ahead of the game, White flipped the script. I’ve read enough thrillers to usually spot the big reveal coming, but this one had me second-guessing all the way through. It never felt like twists for shock value either—they all tied back to character and theme, which made the payoff even sharper.
But what truly elevated the book was the emotional gut punch. This isn’t just about catching a killer. It’s about a mother confronting the possibility that she never fully knew her daughter, and that realization is far more chilling than any confession. The way White explores grief, guilt, and the lies we tell ourselves to survive made this more than just a page-turner—it made it stick.
In short: this is a thriller that delivers both brains and heart. Gripping, emotional, twisty, and utterly bingeable. Bree’s story will stay with me for a while.
Five stars. Easily one of the strongest thrillers I’ve read this year.
by Kate White
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. This book was pure thriller gold—the kind that keeps you glued to the page, pacing around the room like a conspiracy theorist trying to connect red string on a bulletin board.
Kate White doesn’t waste time. From the opening, we’re dropped straight into Bree’s world—ten years after her daughter Melanie’s murder, finally trying to move forward—when a deathbed confession rips her fragile peace to shreds. The man who supposedly killed her daughter admits to four murders… but not Melanie’s. And just like that, the certainty Bree has clung to all these years unravels.
What made this stand out for me was Bree herself. She’s not perfect, she’s not polished, she’s not “the saintly grieving mother” trope we see too often. She’s complicated, flawed, sometimes maddening, but always believable. She doesn’t just sit back and accept the scraps of information handed to her—she claws for answers, even when the cost is high. Watching her dive headfirst into the past, tearing open old wounds to get to the truth, gave the whole story its raw, emotional edge.
The side cast amplifies the tension beautifully. Her ex-husband, still carrying his own grief but not always on the same page, adds friction that feels painfully real. The small-town characters—each with just enough knowledge to make Bree (and us) suspicious—were handled perfectly. Everyone had a motive to keep quiet, and it made the atmosphere claustrophobic in the best way. You could feel the weight of secrets pressing down, waiting for someone brave—or reckless—enough to dig them up.
And the twists? Top tier. Every time I thought I was ahead of the game, White flipped the script. I’ve read enough thrillers to usually spot the big reveal coming, but this one had me second-guessing all the way through. It never felt like twists for shock value either—they all tied back to character and theme, which made the payoff even sharper.
But what truly elevated the book was the emotional gut punch. This isn’t just about catching a killer. It’s about a mother confronting the possibility that she never fully knew her daughter, and that realization is far more chilling than any confession. The way White explores grief, guilt, and the lies we tell ourselves to survive made this more than just a page-turner—it made it stick.
In short: this is a thriller that delivers both brains and heart. Gripping, emotional, twisty, and utterly bingeable. Bree’s story will stay with me for a while.
Five stars. Easily one of the strongest thrillers I’ve read this year.
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.
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
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.
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!
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
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).
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!
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.
November 1, 2025
📚I Came Back for You
✍🏻Kate White
Blurb:
A 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.
My Thoughts:
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?
In short: this is a thriller that delivers both brains and heart. Gripping, emotional, twisty, and utterly bingeable. Bree’s story will stay with me for a while. If you are looking for a real page turning thriller this is for you.
Thanks NetGalley,, Thomas & Mercer, Author Kate White for the complimentary copy. I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#Thoms&Mercer
#KateWhite
#ICameBackforYou
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏻Kate White
Blurb:
A 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.
My Thoughts:
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?
In short: this is a thriller that delivers both brains and heart. Gripping, emotional, twisty, and utterly bingeable. Bree’s story will stay with me for a while. If you are looking for a real page turning thriller this is for you.
Thanks NetGalley,, Thomas & Mercer, Author Kate White for the complimentary copy. I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#Thoms&Mercer
#KateWhite
#ICameBackforYou
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 19, 2025
This novel doesn’t just whisper secrets—it unearths them with trembling hands and a mother’s unwavering heart.
Ten years after the murder of her daughter Melanie, Bree Winter is finally beginning to breathe again. But when the convicted killer confesses to four murders—excluding Melanie’s—Bree is pulled back into the shadows she thought she’d escaped. What follows is a haunting unraveling of truth, memory, and the fragile stories we tell ourselves to survive.
Kate White writes with a sharp, intuitive grace. Her pacing is taut but never rushed, allowing space for grief to settle and suspicion to bloom. Bree is a protagonist you root for not because she’s fearless, but because she’s willing to be afraid and still keep going. Her return to the town where everything fell apart is both a reckoning and a reclamation.
What I found especially compelling was the way White explores not just the mystery of Melanie’s death, but the mystery of Melanie herself. As Bree digs deeper, she’s forced to confront the possibility that her daughter may have been more complicated—and more vulnerable—than she ever knew.
This is a thriller with a beating heart. It’s about justice, yes, but also about the ache of motherhood, the slipperiness of memory, and the courage it takes to face what we’ve buried.
Perfect for a rainy evening and a strong cup of tea, I Came Back for You lingers long after the final page.
With thanks to Kate White, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Ten years after the murder of her daughter Melanie, Bree Winter is finally beginning to breathe again. But when the convicted killer confesses to four murders—excluding Melanie’s—Bree is pulled back into the shadows she thought she’d escaped. What follows is a haunting unraveling of truth, memory, and the fragile stories we tell ourselves to survive.
Kate White writes with a sharp, intuitive grace. Her pacing is taut but never rushed, allowing space for grief to settle and suspicion to bloom. Bree is a protagonist you root for not because she’s fearless, but because she’s willing to be afraid and still keep going. Her return to the town where everything fell apart is both a reckoning and a reclamation.
What I found especially compelling was the way White explores not just the mystery of Melanie’s death, but the mystery of Melanie herself. As Bree digs deeper, she’s forced to confront the possibility that her daughter may have been more complicated—and more vulnerable—than she ever knew.
This is a thriller with a beating heart. It’s about justice, yes, but also about the ache of motherhood, the slipperiness of memory, and the courage it takes to face what we’ve buried.
Perfect for a rainy evening and a strong cup of tea, I Came Back for You lingers long after the final page.
With thanks to Kate White, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
November 2, 2025
Well, in all my 40+ years of thriller reading I had never read a Kate White book until I read, I Came Back for You. After reading this, I realize that was a gross misstep on my part that I plan to correct by reading more from her! This story centers on Bree. Bree lost her daughter Melanie, to a serial killer 10 years ago. Bree has finally moved ahead with a new husband and home when her ex-husband contacts her with some bad news. It turns out that the man convicted of killing Melanie confessed to 4 murders. Melanie was not one of them. This opens a whole new can of worms and Bree goes back to the old college town where her daughter last lived to try and find out what actually happened to her. This is a slow-burn sort of story that slowly builds with suspense and tension until it all comes together, and we see what happened. It is also an emotional story. Bree is not perfect. She has made mistakes, and she was a strong character, I liked the interactions with her ex. The author did a great job of conveying the complicated relationship of two people who were driven out of love after the murder of their daughter. There were several twists that I did not see coming. Well done! I look forward to more, for sure from Kate White! The author herself has an interesting backstory, and I liked that too!
Thank you to #NetGalley, Kate White and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Kate White and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
August 18, 2025
Long-time favorite author of mine, Kate White, has once again gifted readers with a dark and chilling suspense story. I Came Back For You is a wild and crazy ride that immediately sucks you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat
When Bree's ex-husband Logan shows up over five thousand miles away from his home in New York, she knows something is amiss and the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. When he tells her the man in prison who reportedly murdered their daughter, Melanie, years ago is dying and claims that while he did murder some girls, he is adamant he did not murder Melanie. Against her better judgment, Bree decides to fly to New York and meet with one of the detectives that covered their case. Teaming up with Logan, their search for the truth brings them more questions than answers. Was the murderer telling the truth in his deathbed confession, or was he just toying with them one last time in his last few hours of life?
This was a brilliantly crafted who done it mystery with many twists and surprises. I found myself rooting for Bree to finally be able to move on and find peace. The characters are complex but mostly likable, and the chapters read smoothly and are layered with multiple emotions. Bree's emotional agony will tug at your heartstrings. This is a highly recommended read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced copy
When Bree's ex-husband Logan shows up over five thousand miles away from his home in New York, she knows something is amiss and the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. When he tells her the man in prison who reportedly murdered their daughter, Melanie, years ago is dying and claims that while he did murder some girls, he is adamant he did not murder Melanie. Against her better judgment, Bree decides to fly to New York and meet with one of the detectives that covered their case. Teaming up with Logan, their search for the truth brings them more questions than answers. Was the murderer telling the truth in his deathbed confession, or was he just toying with them one last time in his last few hours of life?
This was a brilliantly crafted who done it mystery with many twists and surprises. I found myself rooting for Bree to finally be able to move on and find peace. The characters are complex but mostly likable, and the chapters read smoothly and are layered with multiple emotions. Bree's emotional agony will tug at your heartstrings. This is a highly recommended read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced copy
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!
November 22, 2025
Bree Winters life is turned upside down when the man that is in prison for murdering her daughter makes a deathbed confession that he killed four young girls, but her daughter was not one of them. Which ultimately means that the man that did kill her is still out there and her newly safe life that she's created is not as safe as she thought it was...
I Came Back for You is a spellbinding thriller not to be missed! From the get-go this one will grab your attention and it hold it tightly until the last page finds you. As the story opens we find that grieving mother Bree has just learned that her daughter's killer is not actually the man that took her life. He admits to killing others, but also says that he never touched her daughter. So all this time our heroine has believed she found justice for her daughter... but that is not the case at all. This bit of information sets off a rollercoaster of twists and turns that you will never see coming!!
Once again Ms. White has given us a story that we can completely lose ourselves in and one that keeps us on our toes the whole way through! I have a feeling readers are really going to love this one, I know I did!! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley request, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
I Came Back for You is a spellbinding thriller not to be missed! From the get-go this one will grab your attention and it hold it tightly until the last page finds you. As the story opens we find that grieving mother Bree has just learned that her daughter's killer is not actually the man that took her life. He admits to killing others, but also says that he never touched her daughter. So all this time our heroine has believed she found justice for her daughter... but that is not the case at all. This bit of information sets off a rollercoaster of twists and turns that you will never see coming!!
Once again Ms. White has given us a story that we can completely lose ourselves in and one that keeps us on our toes the whole way through! I have a feeling readers are really going to love this one, I know I did!! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley request, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
August 28, 2025
Out January 27th 2026
If you enjoy suspenseful, twisty, who-dunnit type mysteries, where you are constantly suspicious of every character introduced, trying to deduce if they did it...Read this book! This was my first Kate White novel, I was lucky enough to get this as an ARC from Netgalley. I enjoy fast paced and suspenseful mysteries, this book more than delivered.
A mother, Bree, returning to her past life unearthing the truth about her daughters death, and the town secrets that come with it. Juggling these secrets along with unresolved feelings of love and lust, grief, loss and guilt makes Bree to be a much deeper character than she appears. Much like Bree unraveling this mystery, we are seeing her character unravel through the novel. I find sometimes with thrillers the plot takes over the characters story arcs, this was not the case with this novel.
It has unique settings in both Uruguay, and a small town in the USA, something I don't typically read in thrillers. It was a nice refreshing change of scenery!
If you read Karin Slaughter, Sarah Pekkanen, or Lisa Unger, and female Crime/Suspense novelists alike pick this up, it will not disappoint!
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Netgalley and Kate White for the chance to read and review this ARC.
If you enjoy suspenseful, twisty, who-dunnit type mysteries, where you are constantly suspicious of every character introduced, trying to deduce if they did it...Read this book! This was my first Kate White novel, I was lucky enough to get this as an ARC from Netgalley. I enjoy fast paced and suspenseful mysteries, this book more than delivered.
A mother, Bree, returning to her past life unearthing the truth about her daughters death, and the town secrets that come with it. Juggling these secrets along with unresolved feelings of love and lust, grief, loss and guilt makes Bree to be a much deeper character than she appears. Much like Bree unraveling this mystery, we are seeing her character unravel through the novel. I find sometimes with thrillers the plot takes over the characters story arcs, this was not the case with this novel.
It has unique settings in both Uruguay, and a small town in the USA, something I don't typically read in thrillers. It was a nice refreshing change of scenery!
If you read Karin Slaughter, Sarah Pekkanen, or Lisa Unger, and female Crime/Suspense novelists alike pick this up, it will not disappoint!
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Netgalley and Kate White for the chance to read and review this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Storygraph
Release: Jan 27, 2026
Author: Kate White
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Rating: 4★
Ten years after her daughter Melanie was murdered, Bree Winter has finally started to rebuild her life. Then the man convicted of the crime makes a shocking deathbed confession—claiming he didn’t actually kill her. At first, Bree wants to believe it’s just manipulation, but when details from the case don’t add up, she’s pulled back into the small town she tried to leave behind… and into the terrifying possibility that the real killer has been free all along.
This book is tense, emotional, and completely gripping. It blends a haunting cold case with a mother’s relentless need for the truth, and every new reveal makes you question what you thought you knew. The pacing is tight, the twists are unsettling, and the emotional weight really hits. If you love thrillers with small-town secrets, layered mysteries, and a strong, determined lead, this one sticks with you long after the final page.
Favorite Quote:
“Ten years of grief, one confession, and suddenly the past doesn’t feel settled at all.”
Author: Kate White
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Rating: 4★
Ten years after her daughter Melanie was murdered, Bree Winter has finally started to rebuild her life. Then the man convicted of the crime makes a shocking deathbed confession—claiming he didn’t actually kill her. At first, Bree wants to believe it’s just manipulation, but when details from the case don’t add up, she’s pulled back into the small town she tried to leave behind… and into the terrifying possibility that the real killer has been free all along.
This book is tense, emotional, and completely gripping. It blends a haunting cold case with a mother’s relentless need for the truth, and every new reveal makes you question what you thought you knew. The pacing is tight, the twists are unsettling, and the emotional weight really hits. If you love thrillers with small-town secrets, layered mysteries, and a strong, determined lead, this one sticks with you long after the final page.
Favorite Quote:
“Ten years of grief, one confession, and suddenly the past doesn’t feel settled at all.”
August 17, 2025
Out January 27th, 2026
It’s not just creepy, it’s deliciously creepy. The kind of story that doesn’t rely on jump scares, but instead builds a slow, skin-prickling tension that settles in your bones and refuses to leave. It’s the psychological kind of eerie, where the shadows feel sentient and every silence is suspicious.
Expect a narrative that plays with memory, obsession, and the unsettling idea that the past isn’t done with you—not by a long shot. The atmosphere is thick with dread, but it’s the elegant kind, like a velvet curtain hiding something you’re not sure you want to see. It’s the sort of book that makes you question whether you locked the door, even though you know you did.
If you like your thrillers with a side of “wait, what just happened?” and a main course of “I need to sleep with the lights on,” this one’s worth checking into. Just don’t expect to check out unchanged.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!
It’s not just creepy, it’s deliciously creepy. The kind of story that doesn’t rely on jump scares, but instead builds a slow, skin-prickling tension that settles in your bones and refuses to leave. It’s the psychological kind of eerie, where the shadows feel sentient and every silence is suspicious.
Expect a narrative that plays with memory, obsession, and the unsettling idea that the past isn’t done with you—not by a long shot. The atmosphere is thick with dread, but it’s the elegant kind, like a velvet curtain hiding something you’re not sure you want to see. It’s the sort of book that makes you question whether you locked the door, even though you know you did.
If you like your thrillers with a side of “wait, what just happened?” and a main course of “I need to sleep with the lights on,” this one’s worth checking into. Just don’t expect to check out unchanged.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!
September 22, 2025
Bree Winter's marriage fell apart almost a decade ago in the aftermath of her daughter Melanie's brutal murder. Now, having finally created a new life for herself despite a grief that she will never fully recover from, Bree's world is again shaken by the revelation that the convicted killer of her daughter has confessed on his deathbed to the murder of four women but still denies that he killed Melanie.
When she and her ex-husband are informed that the investigation will be reopened due to new evidence, it opens up a can of worms that Bree is unprepared for. But if she is ever to get justice for her daughter, she must follow any and all clues that can lead them to Melanie's murderer...
Gripping, emotional and very well written, this book works on multiple levels. Highly recommended. It gets 4.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in
exchange for an honest review
When she and her ex-husband are informed that the investigation will be reopened due to new evidence, it opens up a can of worms that Bree is unprepared for. But if she is ever to get justice for her daughter, she must follow any and all clues that can lead them to Melanie's murderer...
Gripping, emotional and very well written, this book works on multiple levels. Highly recommended. It gets 4.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in
exchange for an honest review
October 20, 2025
This is a slow-burn thriller about a woman trying to move on with her life, ten years after the murder of her only daughter. I found Bree Winter a very real protagonist: she is still suffering from so much loss, but has moved to a different part of the world and is in a new relationship. Then, her ex-husband shows up on her doorstep to break the news that the man they believed responsible for their daughter’s death has made a deathbed confession taking responsibility for other murders—but not their daughter’s. Bree ends up going back to the college town where her daughter lived and reliving old trauma, while trying to learn the truth. Her interactions with her ex-husband are intriguing, as are the encounters with people from her daughter’s past. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC—I was thrilled to read Kate White’s latest book and found it just as engaging as all her others.
November 4, 2025
this one was interesting to say the least! it captured my attention at the start and throughout the fast paced whodunnit cold case mystery!
eight years after her daughter’s brutal killing, a mom is on the hunt for answers when it’s revealed that the convicted murderer may not actually be the one… and what a ride it was from there!
I absolutely couldn’t stand a lot of the characters - from the ex husband who knows no personal boundaries, to the snotty new girlfriend who pretends that she knew mel, to even the bystanders who don’t even want to help? what kind of red flag backwards town is this?
overall, I found the whodunnit to be pretty obvious, especially when that main twist happened about halfway through the book… and I genuinely chalk that up to reading so many thrillers that I can see the red herrings…
however, it was a bingeable mystery, but ultimately forgettable. thank you to thomas & mercer for the advanced copy!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
eight years after her daughter’s brutal killing, a mom is on the hunt for answers when it’s revealed that the convicted murderer may not actually be the one… and what a ride it was from there!
I absolutely couldn’t stand a lot of the characters - from the ex husband who knows no personal boundaries, to the snotty new girlfriend who pretends that she knew mel, to even the bystanders who don’t even want to help? what kind of red flag backwards town is this?
overall, I found the whodunnit to be pretty obvious, especially when that main twist happened about halfway through the book… and I genuinely chalk that up to reading so many thrillers that I can see the red herrings…
however, it was a bingeable mystery, but ultimately forgettable. thank you to thomas & mercer for the advanced copy!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
September 29, 2025
This was not exciting.
Okay...I literally wanted to end the review right there because that kind of sums it up. But, if you need more...
* I did not like Bree. At one point,. she started to grow on me but then ended it with one bad decision and a ton of excuses for that decision. In real life, I would have been done with her.
* I did not understand why the first 20% of the book...was. It was 20% of pointlessness that could have been reduced to a few pages of backstory.
* Our dead daughter. While I was curious about who killed her and why, I absolutely felt nothing for the girl. The author gave us nothing here - the girl had little personality and I never, ever felt like she was real or interesting.
I did finish the book. I was curious enough to do so, but am also kind of glad it's over.
* ARC via Publisher
Okay...I literally wanted to end the review right there because that kind of sums it up. But, if you need more...
* I did not like Bree. At one point,. she started to grow on me but then ended it with one bad decision and a ton of excuses for that decision. In real life, I would have been done with her.
* I did not understand why the first 20% of the book...was. It was 20% of pointlessness that could have been reduced to a few pages of backstory.
* Our dead daughter. While I was curious about who killed her and why, I absolutely felt nothing for the girl. The author gave us nothing here - the girl had little personality and I never, ever felt like she was real or interesting.
I did finish the book. I was curious enough to do so, but am also kind of glad it's over.
* ARC via Publisher
August 27, 2025
Bree Winter is devastated when the man convicted for gruesome murders confesses to murdering four girls, but not her daughter.
She vows to find justice for her daughter and hunt down the killer.
The first half of this book I found to be slow... very slow. But fortunately, half way through, it hotted up and I could not put it down.
There are so many suspects, and the actual murderer was revealed in a jaw dropping way.
Bree's relationship with her daughter was very rocky, and she didn't seem to 'know' her daughter, but she finds out that her daughter did love her after all, and that was very emotional.
I will recommend this book, perhaps readers won't find the beginning as slow as I did, but the story is good, and Bree's solo investigation was excellent.
She vows to find justice for her daughter and hunt down the killer.
The first half of this book I found to be slow... very slow. But fortunately, half way through, it hotted up and I could not put it down.
There are so many suspects, and the actual murderer was revealed in a jaw dropping way.
Bree's relationship with her daughter was very rocky, and she didn't seem to 'know' her daughter, but she finds out that her daughter did love her after all, and that was very emotional.
I will recommend this book, perhaps readers won't find the beginning as slow as I did, but the story is good, and Bree's solo investigation was excellent.
September 6, 2025
This was such a solid thriller. Kate White knows how to reel you in and keep you questioning every single character. The story builds with a slow, steady pace and then the tension ramps up until you can’t put it down.
I loved that the twists weren’t predictable. I actually didn’t see the ending coming, which is always what I want in a psychological thriller! The characters are messy and flawed in a way that felt realistic, and I liked that the conclusion wasn’t wrapped up too neatly.
If you’re into domestic suspense with secrets, lies, and a constant feeling of “who can I trust,” this one is definitely worth picking up!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review❤️
I loved that the twists weren’t predictable. I actually didn’t see the ending coming, which is always what I want in a psychological thriller! The characters are messy and flawed in a way that felt realistic, and I liked that the conclusion wasn’t wrapped up too neatly.
If you’re into domestic suspense with secrets, lies, and a constant feeling of “who can I trust,” this one is definitely worth picking up!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review❤️
September 12, 2025
This is another gripping, emotional, high stakes story by Kate White. With the grieving mother, the betrayals and the inconsistencies, this makes a great thriller all the way around.
Ten years after Bree’s daughter is murdered, a deathbed confession from the convicted killer throws her life back into chaos, and the only way she can come to grips with this is to return to the scene of the crime. As she tries to discover the truth, she finds out some things about her daughter and the crime that surprise her.
This book has a great premise with plenty of red herrings thrown in. Though the subject matter is heavy, it is very compelling and complex. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the advanced reader copy.
Ten years after Bree’s daughter is murdered, a deathbed confession from the convicted killer throws her life back into chaos, and the only way she can come to grips with this is to return to the scene of the crime. As she tries to discover the truth, she finds out some things about her daughter and the crime that surprise her.
This book has a great premise with plenty of red herrings thrown in. Though the subject matter is heavy, it is very compelling and complex. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the advanced reader copy.
August 16, 2025
This starts out at a slow burn in a way as we learn who everyone is and what has happened to them. I love how the plot evolved then as Mel’s mom Bree is still determined to find out what happened to her and by who that lead to her death. There are some other themes mixed in like guilt and relationships. This book oozed with mystery and I was suspicious of so many and wanted nothing more than Bree to get closure and real solid answers. Definitely a memorable read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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