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Wren Cade #7
Chain in the Dark
In the Ozarks, the river keeps its dead—and its secrets bite back.
When a kayak tour shoots into a cave beneath Missouri’s Mark Twain National Forest, the lead guide strikes a chain stretched across the darkness. In the churn that follows, a bloated body surfaces—weighted, toothless, and staged like a warning. FBI analyst Wren Cade is flown in with partner Eli Barron and trainee-agent Tiffany Brooks, only to find the caves doubling as cartel arteries and a backwoods revival movement preaching from boats at dusk.
A century-old pamphlet by a fire-and-brimstone preacher—Practicing Presence—starts showing up at scenes. Each chapter foreshadows a fresh teeth pulled, weights tied, mouths stopped. Is a believer killing by doctrine, or is a golden-toothed enforcer using the myth to hide executions in plain sight?
As Wren traces a lattice of underground rivers, meth labs, and borrowed faith, she’s pulled between a missing-person crisis in her own family and a town ready to call murder a miracle.
Chain in the Dark is Book 7 in the Wren Cade series—propulsive, atmospheric, and emotionally sharp.
When a kayak tour shoots into a cave beneath Missouri’s Mark Twain National Forest, the lead guide strikes a chain stretched across the darkness. In the churn that follows, a bloated body surfaces—weighted, toothless, and staged like a warning. FBI analyst Wren Cade is flown in with partner Eli Barron and trainee-agent Tiffany Brooks, only to find the caves doubling as cartel arteries and a backwoods revival movement preaching from boats at dusk.
A century-old pamphlet by a fire-and-brimstone preacher—Practicing Presence—starts showing up at scenes. Each chapter foreshadows a fresh teeth pulled, weights tied, mouths stopped. Is a believer killing by doctrine, or is a golden-toothed enforcer using the myth to hide executions in plain sight?
As Wren traces a lattice of underground rivers, meth labs, and borrowed faith, she’s pulled between a missing-person crisis in her own family and a town ready to call murder a miracle.
Chain in the Dark is Book 7 in the Wren Cade series—propulsive, atmospheric, and emotionally sharp.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 15, 2025
About the author
Georgia Wagner
100 books196 followersHaving worked on projects with New York Times Bestsellers and USA Today bestsellers, Georgia Wagner recently hit #1 bestseller with her newest series. Location and character are two big factors for Georgia, and getting those right allows the story to flow seamlessly onto the page. And flow it does, because Georgia is so prolific a new term is required to describe the rate at which nerve-tingling stories find their way into print.
When not found attached to a laptop, Georgia likes spending time in local arboretums, among the trees and ponds. An avid cultivator of orchids, begonias, and all things floral, Georgia also has a strong penchant for art, paintings, and sculptures. A many-decades-long passion for mystery novels and years of chess tournament experience makes Georgia the perfect person to pen the Artemis Blythe series. That's where it all started, but the drive to craft thrilling mystery tales soon demanded new characters in new locations.
Where will she take us next?
When not found attached to a laptop, Georgia likes spending time in local arboretums, among the trees and ponds. An avid cultivator of orchids, begonias, and all things floral, Georgia also has a strong penchant for art, paintings, and sculptures. A many-decades-long passion for mystery novels and years of chess tournament experience makes Georgia the perfect person to pen the Artemis Blythe series. That's where it all started, but the drive to craft thrilling mystery tales soon demanded new characters in new locations.
Where will she take us next?
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 28, 2025
4 stars
I am thoroughly enjoying this series.
The cases are not repetitive. There is character development. I’m enjoying seeing Wren become less machine and more human. Her growing regard and depth of feeling for Eli. The friendship with Tiffany.
If there is another book, and there needs to be one, I want the Lark issue finalized.
This FBI hunt centered on good intentions multiplying g into death and depravity. It was tense and fast paced, as all the Wren series books. Well done.
I am thoroughly enjoying this series.
The cases are not repetitive. There is character development. I’m enjoying seeing Wren become less machine and more human. Her growing regard and depth of feeling for Eli. The friendship with Tiffany.
If there is another book, and there needs to be one, I want the Lark issue finalized.
This FBI hunt centered on good intentions multiplying g into death and depravity. It was tense and fast paced, as all the Wren series books. Well done.
May 19, 2026
This was a pretty decent read. Some of it made no sense, for example a man without a tongue was 'barking out orders'.. he used sign language to communicate but people heard him talk. Very inconsistent.
There was no true motive for the murders this book either, which is frustrating. No true answers as to why those people were murdered. Sure there was a drug cartel angle but no reason for the murders other than the killer was just sadistic. I like a good detective story but there are just too many pieces ignored or forgotten.
It does sound like we will get to hear more on Lark in the next book. Though I've been saying that in most of my reviews so far. Though there are 2 more books so I'm assuming the ending of this one was just another tease. I almost want to stop reading these except I'd like to see what happens with her sister.
There was no true motive for the murders this book either, which is frustrating. No true answers as to why those people were murdered. Sure there was a drug cartel angle but no reason for the murders other than the killer was just sadistic. I like a good detective story but there are just too many pieces ignored or forgotten.
It does sound like we will get to hear more on Lark in the next book. Though I've been saying that in most of my reviews so far. Though there are 2 more books so I'm assuming the ending of this one was just another tease. I almost want to stop reading these except I'd like to see what happens with her sister.
April 23, 2026
Never give up or you die
This story takes you into the forest, caves, rivers of no return. You move the wrong way, you may never be found. Is this because you are lost or has the environment taken you?
This story takes you into the forest, caves, rivers of no return. You move the wrong way, you may never be found. Is this because you are lost or has the environment taken you?
June 14, 2026
I love this series so much. The character development is top tier. However this one was hard for me to get into. I'm not sure why. Could have just been my mindset but I love Wren Cade regardless. So still a 4 star read for me.
October 25, 2025
Wren Cade
A very good read will keep you interested a smoothly written book one I highly recommend if you love suspense and intrigue
A very good read will keep you interested a smoothly written book one I highly recommend if you love suspense and intrigue
October 28, 2025
Brilliant
Another brilliant book from the great Georgia Wagner. Brilliant, complex characters, drama and well written plots. Is this the end for wren, I hope not
Another brilliant book from the great Georgia Wagner. Brilliant, complex characters, drama and well written plots. Is this the end for wren, I hope not
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews