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Red Flags: A Psychological Thriller
“A delicious cat and mouse game that will sink its claws into you.”Megan Wells knows the signs. She’s spent years studying them.
As a self-proclaimed true crime junkie, Megan’s latest obsession is the docuseries The Mind of a Killer. The show has reignited the city's terror over a chilling cold The Butcher of the Village, a monster who vanished years ago after a brutal spree in the city’s gay district. While the rest of Toronto watches for entertainment, Megan watches for clues.
When her new coworker, Jared Adams, starts at the firm, Megan’s internal alarm bells don't just ring—they scream. Jared appears to be kind, scholarly, and disarmingly gentle, his quiet stutter making him seem harmless to everyone else. But Megan can’t help but notice the red flags hidden in his seemingly perfect facade. To the office, he’s just the quiet new hire. But to Megan, he might be the shadow haunting the documentary’s footage.
The police think she’s paranoid. Her coworkers think she’s obsessed. But when her best friend disappears into the snowy Toronto night, Megan’s suspicion turns into a desperate certainty. Driven by the logic of the books she’s devoured and a guilt she can’t escape, Megan launches a solo mission into the heart of the Village. Her gut tells her Jared is the Butcher, but proving it means playing a deadly game with a man who has spent years perfecting his mask.
As Megan gets closer to the truth, the lines between reality and paranoia blur into a grey, snowy mess. Will Megan’s amateur sleuthing be enough to stop the Butcher, or will her persistence land her on the chopping block?
In the world of true crime, there are victims and there are survivors. Megan Wells is about to find out which one she is.
As a self-proclaimed true crime junkie, Megan’s latest obsession is the docuseries The Mind of a Killer. The show has reignited the city's terror over a chilling cold The Butcher of the Village, a monster who vanished years ago after a brutal spree in the city’s gay district. While the rest of Toronto watches for entertainment, Megan watches for clues.
When her new coworker, Jared Adams, starts at the firm, Megan’s internal alarm bells don't just ring—they scream. Jared appears to be kind, scholarly, and disarmingly gentle, his quiet stutter making him seem harmless to everyone else. But Megan can’t help but notice the red flags hidden in his seemingly perfect facade. To the office, he’s just the quiet new hire. But to Megan, he might be the shadow haunting the documentary’s footage.
The police think she’s paranoid. Her coworkers think she’s obsessed. But when her best friend disappears into the snowy Toronto night, Megan’s suspicion turns into a desperate certainty. Driven by the logic of the books she’s devoured and a guilt she can’t escape, Megan launches a solo mission into the heart of the Village. Her gut tells her Jared is the Butcher, but proving it means playing a deadly game with a man who has spent years perfecting his mask.
As Megan gets closer to the truth, the lines between reality and paranoia blur into a grey, snowy mess. Will Megan’s amateur sleuthing be enough to stop the Butcher, or will her persistence land her on the chopping block?
In the world of true crime, there are victims and there are survivors. Megan Wells is about to find out which one she is.
397 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 23, 2026
4 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 15, 2026
Reading the first few paragraphs, I thought the main character was a male until I read the name Megan. Megan is an accountant who loves true crime. Her latest watch is The Mind of a Killer that talks about The Butcher. A serial killer who tormented Toronto’s gay district but suddenly disappeared ten years ago.
While her coworkers find her hobby weird, her new coworker Jared Adams shares a similar interest. The two have lunch together most days and Megan finds herself having a crush on Jared.
Her crush turns sour when she sees a darker side to him especially when they were watching a documentary about the Butcher together.
“Our friendship blossomed over our shared passion for true crime, but the way he’s looking at the screen... It’s not the look of a part-time enthusiast. It’s the look of an overzealous fan watching his favorite player’s highlight reel.”
Because of the documentary, new interest and new reports surface about the killer and his victims, including a sketch which looks a bit like Jared and the one that victim that was able to get away.
Megan uses her resources to track him down, but the meeting does not go as planned. She is left at square one, looking for any crack in Jared masks.
Things take a turn when Megan’s best friend Mikey starts dating Jared and though Mikey feels he has met the man of his dreams, the finger prints around his throat cause Megan to worry for her friend and reignite her suspicions of Jared being the Butcher.
However, there is a race against time when Mikey goes missing. She knows Jared knows more than what he is saying and that his timeline of events don’t match what the neighbors tell her, but if she doesn’t want to lose her friend, she will have to pretend not to be on to him.
I read this in one night and I do not even like thrillers. However this is my second thriller in a matter of a few days. I enjoyed this ending more than the other thriller I read and feels it is a bit more realistic.
I did love Megan as our protagonist. I enjoyed Jared. There were times even I thought maybe Megan was seeing things that weren’t there.Maybe Megan projected what she wanted Jared to be. But I am glad she persisted because she got the answers she was looking for and Toronto.
I don’t know much about abusive relationships but from what I do, it was portrayed with the gravity and empathy it deserved. Megan didn’t stop worrying for Mikey even after she was kicked out for telling him her thoughts. She let him space and hoped he would come around but was still trying to find answers. Even when he went missing, he was the main purpose of her putting herself in her harm’s way; to find him before it was late. She cared for his friends and would do anything for them, even risking her own life.
I know this story will stay with them for a long time. Where I won’t stop thinking about it.
While her coworkers find her hobby weird, her new coworker Jared Adams shares a similar interest. The two have lunch together most days and Megan finds herself having a crush on Jared.
Her crush turns sour when she sees a darker side to him especially when they were watching a documentary about the Butcher together.
“Our friendship blossomed over our shared passion for true crime, but the way he’s looking at the screen... It’s not the look of a part-time enthusiast. It’s the look of an overzealous fan watching his favorite player’s highlight reel.”
Because of the documentary, new interest and new reports surface about the killer and his victims, including a sketch which looks a bit like Jared and the one that victim that was able to get away.
Megan uses her resources to track him down, but the meeting does not go as planned. She is left at square one, looking for any crack in Jared masks.
Things take a turn when Megan’s best friend Mikey starts dating Jared and though Mikey feels he has met the man of his dreams, the finger prints around his throat cause Megan to worry for her friend and reignite her suspicions of Jared being the Butcher.
However, there is a race against time when Mikey goes missing. She knows Jared knows more than what he is saying and that his timeline of events don’t match what the neighbors tell her, but if she doesn’t want to lose her friend, she will have to pretend not to be on to him.
I read this in one night and I do not even like thrillers. However this is my second thriller in a matter of a few days. I enjoyed this ending more than the other thriller I read and feels it is a bit more realistic.
I did love Megan as our protagonist. I enjoyed Jared. There were times even I thought maybe Megan was seeing things that weren’t there.Maybe Megan projected what she wanted Jared to be. But I am glad she persisted because she got the answers she was looking for and Toronto.
I don’t know much about abusive relationships but from what I do, it was portrayed with the gravity and empathy it deserved. Megan didn’t stop worrying for Mikey even after she was kicked out for telling him her thoughts. She let him space and hoped he would come around but was still trying to find answers. Even when he went missing, he was the main purpose of her putting herself in her harm’s way; to find him before it was late. She cared for his friends and would do anything for them, even risking her own life.
I know this story will stay with them for a long time. Where I won’t stop thinking about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2026
4.5 stars
Other than some mistakes, this book was a master in tension. I really didn't want to put the book down. The chapters always ended with a question.
The book is about an accountant named Megan, who enjoys watching shows about serial killers. She doesn't realise she puts her friend, Mikey, in harm's way when she plays matchmaker. Now, will she able to save him in time, or will she fail, resulting in death?
The character arcs are awesome. The author starts nicely by showing the characters in another light compared to the end.
I loved it. My only gripe was some repetition, Megan's stupidity (which changes), the lack of research on certain things, and the fact that there were really awesome twists this author could've involved.
Otherwise, the tension was intense, and the ending was like a reprieve from all the tension. If you like books that keep you at the edge of your seat, this is the perfect read.
*Thanks, Netgalley, for this book*
Other than some mistakes, this book was a master in tension. I really didn't want to put the book down. The chapters always ended with a question.
The book is about an accountant named Megan, who enjoys watching shows about serial killers. She doesn't realise she puts her friend, Mikey, in harm's way when she plays matchmaker. Now, will she able to save him in time, or will she fail, resulting in death?
The character arcs are awesome. The author starts nicely by showing the characters in another light compared to the end.
I loved it. My only gripe was some repetition, Megan's stupidity (which changes), the lack of research on certain things, and the fact that there were really awesome twists this author could've involved.
Otherwise, the tension was intense, and the ending was like a reprieve from all the tension. If you like books that keep you at the edge of your seat, this is the perfect read.
*Thanks, Netgalley, for this book*
February 1, 2026
Wow! I absolutely loved Red Flags and could not put it down!! It had me hooked from the very beginning.
It is a tense, slow-burn psychological thriller that grips you with its subtle unease and smartly drawn characters. Megan Wells’s fascination with true crime slowly becomes a lens through which she notices cracks in the world around her, and K.D. Wong builds suspense by making readers question what’s real and what’s imagined. The story’s strength lies in its psychological depth and the underlying tension that genuinely keeps you turning pages without relying on constant shocks and twists.
This is a compelling read for anyone who enjoys character-driven suspense, moral ambiguity, and thrillers that linger in your mind long after the last page.
A solid and well deserved 5 stars!
It is a tense, slow-burn psychological thriller that grips you with its subtle unease and smartly drawn characters. Megan Wells’s fascination with true crime slowly becomes a lens through which she notices cracks in the world around her, and K.D. Wong builds suspense by making readers question what’s real and what’s imagined. The story’s strength lies in its psychological depth and the underlying tension that genuinely keeps you turning pages without relying on constant shocks and twists.
This is a compelling read for anyone who enjoys character-driven suspense, moral ambiguity, and thrillers that linger in your mind long after the last page.
A solid and well deserved 5 stars!
February 8, 2026
This book was interesting to say the least, it had me wondering what next. My main issue with it was the suspense it had some really intense bits and then just faded and then back to intense, id of rather the book be shorter and intense.
Whilst you knew from the get go what the story was going to be about it still kept it interesting and I needed to know how it wrapped up.
The book has been left open where a second book could be written which I think would be great as I’d love to follow Megan’s story.
Overall an enjoyable read
* full disclosure I was given this book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley*
Whilst you knew from the get go what the story was going to be about it still kept it interesting and I needed to know how it wrapped up.
The book has been left open where a second book could be written which I think would be great as I’d love to follow Megan’s story.
Overall an enjoyable read
* full disclosure I was given this book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley*
February 10, 2026
WOW!!!
I just finished this book and I am like, wow! When you start reading this book don't have anything planned as you are not going to want to stop reading! At one point I had to put the book down as I couldn't continue until I had my breath under control! As you are reading you feel like you're right there with each character. So well written. I will definitely be reading more by this author! Megan, Mikey, & Jared, get ready for a twisty story that will have your heart beat faster and has several revelations you will not see coming! Awesome book!!!
I just finished this book and I am like, wow! When you start reading this book don't have anything planned as you are not going to want to stop reading! At one point I had to put the book down as I couldn't continue until I had my breath under control! As you are reading you feel like you're right there with each character. So well written. I will definitely be reading more by this author! Megan, Mikey, & Jared, get ready for a twisty story that will have your heart beat faster and has several revelations you will not see coming! Awesome book!!!
February 13, 2026
This was a journey worth taking. The characters worked so well and it was easy to get invested into the story and characters.
It did begin slowly but once you got past the growing pains it was easy to just sit back and enjoy the ride. One of the better thriller books I’ve read in a while.
Thanks to NetGallery and the Publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
It did begin slowly but once you got past the growing pains it was easy to just sit back and enjoy the ride. One of the better thriller books I’ve read in a while.
Thanks to NetGallery and the Publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews