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Forest of Stillness : Impossible to put down mystery thriller with an epic twist
She trusted her. That was her first mistake.
FBI Agent Alexis Forrest is supposed to be done with killers. Desk duty in Broken Hill, Maine. A baby on the way. A quiet life she's finally learning to want.
Then her new friend's husband turns up dead.
The local ME rules it a cardiac event. Natural causes. Nothing to investigate. But Alexis knows what a staged crime scene looks like. She knows what it means when a woman controls her husband's medication, asks his doctors all the right questions, and somehow knows details about the body that were never made public.
She knows what this is.
What she doesn't know yet is that this isn't the first time.
In Connecticut, there was another husband. Another cardiac event. Another grieving widow who walked away with everything.
Now Alexis is running an unauthorized investigation while on desk duty, building a murder case against the only real friend she's made in years — as the town closes ranks around the woman they believe is a victim, and someone makes clear they've been watching Alexis all along.
She has no jurisdiction. No backup. No one who believes her.
Just a dead man, a missing pattern, and an instinct she can't bury.
Perfect for fans of AJ Rivers, Mary Stone, and Melinda Leigh.
FBI Agent Alexis Forrest is supposed to be done with killers. Desk duty in Broken Hill, Maine. A baby on the way. A quiet life she's finally learning to want.
Then her new friend's husband turns up dead.
The local ME rules it a cardiac event. Natural causes. Nothing to investigate. But Alexis knows what a staged crime scene looks like. She knows what it means when a woman controls her husband's medication, asks his doctors all the right questions, and somehow knows details about the body that were never made public.
She knows what this is.
What she doesn't know yet is that this isn't the first time.
In Connecticut, there was another husband. Another cardiac event. Another grieving widow who walked away with everything.
Now Alexis is running an unauthorized investigation while on desk duty, building a murder case against the only real friend she's made in years — as the town closes ranks around the woman they believe is a victim, and someone makes clear they've been watching Alexis all along.
She has no jurisdiction. No backup. No one who believes her.
Just a dead man, a missing pattern, and an instinct she can't bury.
Perfect for fans of AJ Rivers, Mary Stone, and Melinda Leigh.
213 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2026
About the author
Kate Gable
44 books435 followersKate Gable loves a good mystery that is full of suspense. She grew up devouring psychological thrillers and crime novels as well as movies, tv shows and true crime.
Her favorite stories are the ones that are centered on families with lots of secrets and lies as well as many twists and turns. Her novels have elements of psychological suspense, thriller, mystery and romance.
Kate Gable lives in Southern California with her husband, son, a dog and a cat. She has spent more than twenty years in this area and finds inspiration from its cities, canyons, deserts, and small mountain towns.
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Her favorite stories are the ones that are centered on families with lots of secrets and lies as well as many twists and turns. Her novels have elements of psychological suspense, thriller, mystery and romance.
Kate Gable lives in Southern California with her husband, son, a dog and a cat. She has spent more than twenty years in this area and finds inspiration from its cities, canyons, deserts, and small mountain towns.
Want to read a FREE Book?
https://www.subscribepage.com/kategab...
Check out her books here:
www.kategable.com
Join my Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/83385...
Write her here:
Kate@kategable.com
Bonus Points: Follow me on BookBub and Goodreads!
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 4, 2026
This is book nine in The Alexis Forrest FBI Mystery series. Alexis now sits at the desk instead of in the field and now she has found out that she is having a baby so her job at the moment is definitely better for her. Alexis has made a friend in Claire which she met at her pottery class but when Claire’s husband goes missing and is then found dead Alexis doesn’t believe that he died of a heart attack so she starts digging into there past history because things are just not adding up but she can’t prove anything at the moment and then more things come to light and Alexis is determined that if it is foul play then she will definitely get justice for him and Alexis is determined to find out the truth regardless of the situation or circumstances involved. When Alexis starts finding other clues she doesn’t know what to do with all her findings because this is becoming a real mystery and now she needs someone to trust and tell them about what she had found out without losing her job in the process. Wow I absolutely love this book with all its twists and turns along with suspense, suspicions, mystery, action and situations that will have you on the edge of your seat while turning the pages and being unable to put this book down as it kept my attention throughout and was so addictive. Kate Gable is a amazing author and writer and I can’t wait to read more of her books in the future because her books are definitely worth reading and you will not be disappointed.
April 5, 2026
3.5stars-FOREST OF STILLNESS is the ninth instalment in Kate Gable’s contemporary, adult ALEXIS FORREST FBI MYSTERY focusing on forensic psychologist and FBI Agent Alexis Forrest.
Told from first person perspective (Alexis) FOREST OF STILLNESS focuses on the search for the truth. FBI Agent Alexis Forrest is on desk duty, pregnant with her first child but a woman who refuses to sit back watching the world pass her by. A weekly pottery class, a new friend, and the disappearance of her new friend’s husband finds Alexis investigating a woman she knows little about, an investigation that reveals a similar pattern of death in the wake of the husband’s disappearance.
Meanwhile, Alexis begins to struggle with morning sickness, as her boyfriend Mitch continues to keep a close eye on the woman he loves but Alexis refuses to back down, and places herself in the direct line of fire.
FOREST OF STILLNESS is a story of secrets and lies, murder and obsession, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is fast paced, intriguing and entertaining but saying that, the author’s style of writing felt mechanical, unlike the previous instalments or all of the author’s other series. The obvious change in tone is questionable and concerning, something to think about going forward.
copy supplied for review
Told from first person perspective (Alexis) FOREST OF STILLNESS focuses on the search for the truth. FBI Agent Alexis Forrest is on desk duty, pregnant with her first child but a woman who refuses to sit back watching the world pass her by. A weekly pottery class, a new friend, and the disappearance of her new friend’s husband finds Alexis investigating a woman she knows little about, an investigation that reveals a similar pattern of death in the wake of the husband’s disappearance.
Meanwhile, Alexis begins to struggle with morning sickness, as her boyfriend Mitch continues to keep a close eye on the woman he loves but Alexis refuses to back down, and places herself in the direct line of fire.
FOREST OF STILLNESS is a story of secrets and lies, murder and obsession, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is fast paced, intriguing and entertaining but saying that, the author’s style of writing felt mechanical, unlike the previous instalments or all of the author’s other series. The obvious change in tone is questionable and concerning, something to think about going forward.
copy supplied for review
Review of advance copy received from Author
Broken Hill is a small town tucked into the pleasant countryside in Maine. To Alexis it is home. This story will bring the detail and daily life of the town to you.
For Alexis there is now a huge change in her life. The author will bring this to you through the FBI agent who is Alexis and the town that is Broken Hill. It also turns out that Broken Hill will never be the same again. That was not what Alexis wanted. She wanted this friendship - you will absolutely feel the pull on her. You will feel the solid, unyielding support that Mitch gives her as they deal with this together.
Alexis operates on "instinct, which was another word for a pattern-recognition system operating on insufficient data." That instinct pulls her in. That battles with "female friendship I'd kept at arm's length for most of my adult life, the kind that required sustained openness."
But for her “The FBI was my life. Not in the casual sense, not the way people said it to mean long hours and thinking about work on weekends. I meant it literally." These are forces pulling at Alexis as she slowly pulls the clues together. This is a well written story with will bring a whole different side to Alexis yet her justice for all side is clearly still there.
For Alexis there is now a huge change in her life. The author will bring this to you through the FBI agent who is Alexis and the town that is Broken Hill. It also turns out that Broken Hill will never be the same again. That was not what Alexis wanted. She wanted this friendship - you will absolutely feel the pull on her. You will feel the solid, unyielding support that Mitch gives her as they deal with this together.
Alexis operates on "instinct, which was another word for a pattern-recognition system operating on insufficient data." That instinct pulls her in. That battles with "female friendship I'd kept at arm's length for most of my adult life, the kind that required sustained openness."
But for her “The FBI was my life. Not in the casual sense, not the way people said it to mean long hours and thinking about work on weekends. I meant it literally." These are forces pulling at Alexis as she slowly pulls the clues together. This is a well written story with will bring a whole different side to Alexis yet her justice for all side is clearly still there.
April 2, 2026
Kate Gable is back with her latest in the Alexis Forest series. As usual, she doesn't disappoint. Her characters remain true to form and her story keeps you drawn in from start to finish. We still see Alexis as job focused, driven and following her own path regardless of the consequences. She is an FBI agent whose job is everything to her. She puts herself in danger with no regard to how it impacts others: her superiors, Mitch (her fiance), etc. Her need for justice supercedes everything.
Mitch is a very loyal, loving and extremely forgiving man who gives her chance after chance. She always promises to do better, when it comes to their relationship and her own safety, but never manages to follow through. Mitch forgives and continues to love her unconditionally.
As a reader, you learn that this is who Alexis is and accept it....maybe not condone it, maybe not agree with it, but accept it....just as Mitch does. After all, we are all in this together: the author, the readers, Felch, Temecula, and Mitch. We will all follow Alexis to see where she goes next and we will enjoy every minute of the journey.
Mitch is a very loyal, loving and extremely forgiving man who gives her chance after chance. She always promises to do better, when it comes to their relationship and her own safety, but never manages to follow through. Mitch forgives and continues to love her unconditionally.
As a reader, you learn that this is who Alexis is and accept it....maybe not condone it, maybe not agree with it, but accept it....just as Mitch does. After all, we are all in this together: the author, the readers, Felch, Temecula, and Mitch. We will all follow Alexis to see where she goes next and we will enjoy every minute of the journey.
April 3, 2026
Kate Gable returns with her latest instalment in the Alexis Forest series, and as always, she does not disappoint. The characters remain true to form, and the narrative captivates from start to finish. Alexis is still job-focused, driven, and determined to follow her own path, regardless of the consequences. As an FBI agent, she considers her work everything and often puts herself in danger without regard for the impact on others, including her superiors and her fiancé, Mitch. Her need for justice supersedes all else.
Despite being pregnant and meant to be on desk duty, Alexis cannot resist investigating when her new friend's husband goes missing and is later found dead.
The Medical Examiner called it a cardiac event, but something just didn't sit right with Alexis after one unfinished sentence from the dead husband, and she decided to go with her gut feeling. She can tell if a scene was staged and this scene didn't look right. But with the town on the side of the wife and the wife being Alexis' new friend, things get dicey for her. Can she figure it out, or, with no backup, will she put herself in danger? This is a fast-paced book with twists you don't see coming.
Despite being pregnant and meant to be on desk duty, Alexis cannot resist investigating when her new friend's husband goes missing and is later found dead.
The Medical Examiner called it a cardiac event, but something just didn't sit right with Alexis after one unfinished sentence from the dead husband, and she decided to go with her gut feeling. She can tell if a scene was staged and this scene didn't look right. But with the town on the side of the wife and the wife being Alexis' new friend, things get dicey for her. Can she figure it out, or, with no backup, will she put herself in danger? This is a fast-paced book with twists you don't see coming.
April 3, 2026
This is the 9th book in the Alexis Forrest series and it will keep you turning pages from the beginning. FBI Agent Alexis is on desk duty decompressing from her previous case, pregnant and getting married. She is happy looking forward to her new life making friends. When one of her new friend's husband dies. The Medical Examiner called it a cardiac event but something just didn't sit right with Alexis and she decided to go with her gut feeling. She can tell if a scene was staged and this scene didn't look right. But with the town on the side of the wife and the wife being Alexis' new friend, things get dicey for her. Can she figure it out or with no backup will she be putting herself in danger? This is a fast paced book that keeps you totally engaged. I not only do I highly recommend this book, I highly recommend the entire series! I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
March 31, 2026
Alexis is decompressing from her last assignment, which had a large personal element to it.
So here she is in a desk job, getting married and starting to make a few new friends.
One of her new friends husband dies, all explained. But in the stillness of her mind it doesn't sit right.
I'd Alexis looking for something that isn't there or does she trust her gut and training.
This was a smooth read, it deals with Alexis adjusting to a decompression at work and solidifying her relationship with Mitch, and knowing how she can't let go of a feeling that something isn't right.
The ending opens up to wanting to read the next in the series, i have to wait for the release but I want it now.
I recieved an arc from the author and this is my honest review. I really like this series.
So here she is in a desk job, getting married and starting to make a few new friends.
One of her new friends husband dies, all explained. But in the stillness of her mind it doesn't sit right.
I'd Alexis looking for something that isn't there or does she trust her gut and training.
This was a smooth read, it deals with Alexis adjusting to a decompression at work and solidifying her relationship with Mitch, and knowing how she can't let go of a feeling that something isn't right.
The ending opens up to wanting to read the next in the series, i have to wait for the release but I want it now.
I recieved an arc from the author and this is my honest review. I really like this series.
March 31, 2026
Forrest of Stillness is the latest intriguing addition to the Alexis Forrest FBI Series. Alexis is pregnant and on desk duty, but, when the husband of her new friend is found dead her instincts know it is a murder and not a natural death. Alexis institutes an unauthorized investigation which leads her down a path of unexpected twists and danger as she has no back-up and is on her own. I highly recommend this well written thriller by Kate Gable with its great world building and mystery which will keep you guessing as to who the real killer is until the very end of the book.
I received a copy of this book via the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received a copy of this book via the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
March 31, 2026
Alexis Forest is once again following her incredible instincts against orders and faced with life threatening decisions. She finds out she’s pregnant and has no idea how to tell Mitch. Her dangerous job, her pregnancy and her pending wedding weighs heavily on her. Unexpected friendships are formed only to become a case she’s once again drawn to solve without authorization and therefore puts both her life and her baby’s at stake. A very fabulous thriller that will keep you glued to it. A highly recommended reading.
March 31, 2026
Alexis is breaking all the rules by investigating a murder while on desk duty. I've read every one of Alexis Forest books and have yet to get my full of them murder happens in places you'd never expect and with each new case Alexis thinks outside the box to solve them. Kate Gable amazes me every time I pick up one of her books she never disappoints me in anyway they're always jammed packed with twists that have you flipping the pages as fast as you can read them needing to know what surprises awaits you on the next page.
March 31, 2026
Forest of Stillness with FBI Agent Alexis Forest was a true testament to her investigative skills. This book finds Alexis pregnant and on desk duty. But that doesn’t stop her from investigating a murder that’s not classified as a murder. I found her thought process interesting and intelligent. The story kept me up most of the night and I read it in one sitting. Alexis Forest is continues to be one of my favorite characters.
April 1, 2026
Forest of Stillness by Kate Gable has Alexis Forrest solving a shocking, twisted case. She should be relaxing and getting ready for the new life that’s coming. No more intense cases. But, when there’s an unexpected death…close to home…she can’t just leave it. She has to dig, and discover, and break the case into understandable pieces. What she finds…could be deadly. Loved this addition to the series!!!
April 5, 2026
This book was written slightly different than I’m used to, but I loved every bit of it. Alexis met a new friend, Claire, her FBI instinct kicked in, but she didn’t know what was making her gut feeling go off. The doubt took place and everything started escalating from there. The twists and turns made it so I couldn’t put the book down! I can’t wait to read the next book! So much suspense. Even though I knew what happened, waiting to see how it played out was the pinnacle of the story.
March 31, 2026
FBI agent Alexis Forrest is pregnant and on desk duty. She makes a friend at a pottery class. Her friend's husband goes missing and is found dead. Her friend mentions about apparel her dead husband was wearing when he was found. This was something that was not released. Alexis cannot let it go and investigates off the books. Another page turner from Kate Gable.
April 3, 2026
This is the ninth book in the Alexis Forrest FBI series. Alex is pregnant, on desk duty, rather than in the field. Yet it doesn’t stop her from investigating and solving a case. The plot is twisted, intriguing and gripping. Another amazing series addition. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 8, 2026
Alexis is now on desk duty and also pregnant, but that doesn’t stop her from getting involved when her new friend's husband goes missing. This case is difficult for Alexis as she’s a friend and an FBI agent at the same time. It’s a great read and you feel the dilemmas that face her as she tries to get to the bottom of this case.
April 12, 2026
I received an ARC of Forest Of Stillness and I am voluntarily leaving a review. this book is a little bit different than the other books in the series. I feel like it was a little more relaxed than the other books. I prefer a little more fast paced since that's what I am used to with Alexis but I did still enjoy the book and cannot wait for the next book to come out.
April 4, 2026
Another unputdownable page turner from a gifted author. The quiet life is not meant for Alexis Forest. While on desk duty and pregnant, a friend's husband dies. Alexis knows it is not a simple case. The action kept me invested. The twists were exciting and I really enjoyed it.
April 7, 2026
This was an excellent story about Alexis turning the tables on a person she thought was her friend who was killing her husbands and arresting her with lots of suspense and action and drama. Thank you for this awesome story.
May 16, 2026
Absolutely loved this book. Alexis starts to make a friend but then something happens that puts it into danger. Will she sit back and let a dead body be investigated without her or will she be pulled in?
Review of advance copy received from Author
Quick fun read
Review of advance copy received from Author
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Very difficult to guess the villain, an edge of the seat page turner.
March 31, 2026
I really enjoyed this story. making friends with the couple. a few twists and turns. Definitely need to read this story.
April 6, 2026
This is a thriller story that would make you keep turning the pages to find out what happened next. Alexis is pregnant and is finding it hard to let her boyfriend Mitch know, because everything is weighing her down.Then she meet Claire and thought she found a friend or foe.Then Claire husband is found dead and something doesn’t sit right to Alexis about his death.Being the detective in her she starts her own investigation.Would this be the end of Claire and Alexis friendship Or the truth of how Claire husband met his dead. Read to find out you won’t be disappointed.My review is voluntary for I got an arc copy of this book.
March 31, 2026
Amazing story in this series. I love what a bulldog Alexis is...friend or not she goes to the extreme to solve the case.
April 4, 2026
Couldn't put it down. Can't want for next book. Each story gets more exciting
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews